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Bad news day for lovers of alpine skiing . Shortly after confirming the death of Blanca Fernández Ochoa, the Austrian Marcel Hirscher, considered one of the best of all time, announced this Wednesday in Salzburg his retirement from active sport, after winning the Cup Cup general eight consecutive times World (2012 to 2019).

"I think it is no longer a surprise. Today is the day I finish my active career," said Hirscher, 30, winner of 67 individual races , plus seven golds in four World Cups and two Olympic golds.

"I have realized that there are several factors to make this decision. This is not a job change, but a life decision, which will surely be very interesting," explained the legendary skier at a press conference in which he has perched with all his sporting achievements, and which has been broadcast live on Austrian public television ORF

The public appearance had generated such expectation, which even caused a live televised debate to be delayed this Wednesday in almost an hour with a view to the anticipated general elections that Austria will hold on September 29.

" I think it's okay (the decision), it's not the first time I had thought about it, " said Hirscher, who said that many were not taken seriously when he began to raise doubts about whether to continue his successful career.

He has also referred to the existence of several reasons for his decision, from the importance he gives to his family life as the problems of motivation and lack of energy after having won everything in alpine skiing, the king sport in Austria. " I'm very lucky to still have two healthy knees ," added Hirscher, explaining that he wants to continue enjoying the mountain.

In the 2007-08 season, with 19 years, Hirscher debuted in the World Cup , achieving his first podiums. His great dominance began in the 2011-12 season when he won the first of his eight World Cup generals. In total, he has 67 individual victories in the World Cup, in addition to 71 podiums .

He has won seven golds and four silver in four World Cups (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) , in addition to another Olympic silver, in the Sochi Games (Russia) of 2014. "I feel very proud of what I have achieved," he said. the Austrian athlete, before thanking his family, in particular his parents and his wife Laura, for supporting him in the last twelve years of his career.

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