German biathlete Johannes Kühn has announced he is ending his active career after 24 years in the sport, bringing the curtain down on a journey that included two Olympic Games and more than 200 World Cup starts.

Kühn shared the news on Instagram, opening with a note that carried the weight of a long chapter closing: “Training for the next winter usually starts today (May 1 – editor’s note). This year without me. After 24 years of biathlon, it’s time to end my active career.”

“As a little boy, you watched your role models on TV and cheered them on. Fourteen years ago, I was part of the World Cup for the first time. I was allowed to compete at several World Championships, at two Olympic Games, and over 200 times in the World Cup. As a child, you would have dreamed of something like that,” he wrote.

The German reflected honestly on a career that had its share of missed opportunities, acknowledging that not every result went the way he had hoped.

“Whether I was always satisfied, of course not. I missed a lot of good results, definitely. That’s biathlon,” he wrote, adding a wink.

Despite that, he said he was proud and grateful to have come so far and remained active at the international level for so many years.

Kühn thanked a long list of people who supported him along the way, including teammates, coaches, support staff, and long-standing sponsors. He also extended special thanks to German Customs, with whom he competed as part of the Ski Team Zoll.

He closed with heartfelt words for his family and wife, who he said had unconditionally supported him and kept the home front steady throughout his career, and for the fans whose atmosphere at races he said he hoped never to forget.

Kühn ends his career as one of Germany’s most experienced biathletes of his generation.

Also Read – LIST: These are the biathletes who are retiring

Are you interested in biathlon? Click HERE and read more about it.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site and live streaming of Ski Classics Pro Tour events with English commentary. When you become part of one of the world’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.

REGISTER HERE AS A MEMBER