Zhangjiakou (dpa) – Martin Fleig swallowed, paused briefly and fought back tears. The Paralympic champion from Pyeongchang had already made the decision to end his career when he left for the games in Beijing. But the public announcement was obviously difficult for him.
“I’ve decided to end my career in Beijing,” explained the 32-year-old after finishing only 13th and penultimate over the long distance biathlon after eight shooting errors. But he did win silver once in the sitting class over the middle distance. Together with the honor of being able to carry the German flag at the opening ceremony, it was a happy ending.
“I’m very comfortable with it. It’s exactly the right time to put a line under it,” said the Freiburger: “Beijing was another wonderful experience. And I’m incredibly grateful that I managed to get another medal.” He will start in the cross-country relay for the last time on Sunday. And he speculates on a medal at the end: “We’ll knock every grain out of it again. Maybe it’s enough.”
Gold in South Korea
Fleig celebrated his greatest success four years ago at the Paralympics in South Korea when he won gold over 15 kilometers. He also won the world title in biathlon in 2017 and in cross-country skiing in 2019. Above all, he wants to devote the free time “to my wife and our little dachshund. My wife always took a backseat. Now it’s finally, finally time to put them in the foreground,” said the administrative clerk: “And my employer also deserves that I put a little more energy into it.”
In the future, he himself wants to “do sport when I want and no longer when I have to”. First he wanted to “quiet a bit”, then it was “probable” that he would stay in the sport as a coach or scout: “There are a few ideas. I’ve already spoken to the national coach.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220311-99-473173/2
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