Serious heart problems forced her to retire earlier than planned. Now the biathlon star has made a comeback, just seven months after giving birth to twins.

In March, the Finnish biathlon star gave birth to twins. Last weekend, she finished second in the demanding trail race at the Salzburg Trail Running Festival in Austria.

Mari Eder clocked 37:31.1 over 7.6 kilometers with 275 meters of climbing. She was 57 seconds behind the winner, Diana Happenhofer of Germany, and almost three minutes ahead of Lara Thaler in third place – just seven months after giving birth to twins. The 38-year-old has also competed in Hyrox. 

Also Read: Former biathlon star expecting twins after early retirement

Hectic but rewarding 

Eder describes the time since giving birth as busy, but rewarding. In a photo carousel on Instagram, she talks about the last few months. 

“How the days with 8-month-old twins feel like. Silver at the Salzburg Trail Running Festival. It felt great to blow the last year and a half out of my lungs. And at the same time, it cleared our heads. After a hot summer, we got beautiful, warm Autumn. Lots of outdoor activities. It was neither hot nor cold, and it was easy to get outside. Preparing for the season and a table full of bills. October was tough. Life with the girls has become a little easier, but work has been demanding. Now there is light at the end of the tunnel again. Another hectic Monday.” 

Forced to retire

In 2023, Mari Eder had to retire. After competing in four Olympics, 11 World Championships and 350 World Cup races, the then 35-year-old Finn had expected her career to be nearing its end. But serious heart problems forced Eder to put down the rifle before she had planned. 

At the time, she said clearly that ending her career would leave a void in her life. When she retired, she felt both a sense of loss and a sense of opportunity. Now she has become a mother of two and runs a sports store together with her husband, Benjamin Eder. The twins are the couple’s first children.

Read More: Forced to retire

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