BiathlonBiathlon - Germany
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In recent days, Magdalena Neuner has released an interview with the German RP head. In addition to talking about his present life, he returned to his past, telling how his life was suddenly torn by the sport's success, and explaining why he decided to close for only 25 years.
Friday 23 June 2017 7 minutes reading time
You retired to a very young age. Do not you ever want to go back to competing? "A little. I admit there are moments when I look at the races, where to see the girls compete on the track ticks my feelings. But five years ago I made a very sensible decision and did not regret it at all. As soon as I closed my career, I wanted to be as far away from winter sports as possible. Then with the passage of time I found the pleasure of skiing without great pressure, and it is simply beautiful. "
Why did you choose to quit so soon? "I have never been the type of athlete with the goal of winning a medal after the other. This is an admirable approach, but it is not mine. I understand the position of those who tell me that I could continue a few more years, because I would definitely have won again. But I never looked at my career as a trophy collection. The goal that I have been doing during my competitive activity has always been to improve myself. At some point I realized that I had come to my maximum, that I could no longer progress. At that moment the story is over. "
We also imagine that it is difficult to be Magdalena Neuner. "There have been years when it was much harder than it is today."
Yet you are always at the center of the spotlight. Do you have to be particularly strong on the psychological level to endure it? "In fact, I can live almost normal life. It's not like Thomas Müller or Bastian Schweinsteiger, of which every step is followed. For me it is different, there are no neighbors who spit gossip at the media or photograph moments of my private life. Home is not Magdalena Neuner, but Magdalena Holzer. It's nice to be able to change identities. "
In the past, however, it has not always been like now ... "It is true. In 2007 I went to the Anterselva World Cup as a normal person, but when I came back I had 3 gold medals on my neck. I was only 20 years old and my life was suddenly overthrown. It was not easy to handle the change. From that moment on I became a star and a model. There were newspapers, magazines, sponsors who were looking for me continuously. It was incredibly hard to make the right decisions. "
How could you find balance again? "Thanks to a psychologist. At some point I realized that my mind did not want to win anymore. I realized that in my subconscious there was the thought that getting tithing was better than getting there before. I did not want to be the team's star. That's when I decided to go to a mental coach. He helped me a lot. He told me not to make me conditional on others, but to establish my personal goals. "
Much of your popularity stems from the fact that the biathlon is very close. Why do you think so? "First because it's an extremely exciting one. Often an error in the polygon makes the difference between victory and defeat. Moreover, athletes who practice it are real people, not marketing products. "
Now you work as an expert TV technician. Is it difficult for you to comment on ex-opponents? For example, in the past there has been great controversy over Mehmet Scholl for having called Mario Gomez "a sick" after a national game. Are not you afraid to commit the same mistake? "Not at all, I'm not the kind of person who attacks others. In fact, I know perfectly what it means to be an athlete. You must always treat the athletes with respect, even when they are not in the day. Personally I'm annoyed when journalists spit judgments. For example, if an athlete fails 3 times in the polygon to hear things like 'Why do they compete?', Or 'But he's drunk?' I'm very annoyed. "
Of course now you are also a mother, we imagine that this is your main occupation. "Absolutely! I try to wake up early in the morning to make a corset in nature before starting my day with my two children. Seeing them grow will make you understand how fast the time passes. There are already children for whom I am not a public character and, in a sense, not feeling famous in any way is very calming. "
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