WARSAW, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Polish most decorated biathlete Monika Hojnisz-Starega announced that she decided to suspend her career as she needs to rest after the Olympic year.
Hojnisz-Starega, a two-time European champion and bronze medalist from the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013, had her sights set on adding an Olympic medal to her collection, but the 31-year-old didn't meet the expectations at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as she finished ninth in the pursuit race.
Hojnisz-Starega was called up for the training camp of the national team but coach Tobias Torgersen allowed her to train individually. Then she missed the Polish championship, and won't return to competitions this year.
"After several years of continuous training regime, I decided that I needed a break. I want to rest both physically and mentally, and there is no better time for such a holiday than the period after the Olympics," Hojnisz-Starega was quoted as saying by the Polish Biathlon Association on Sunday.
"It absolutely doesn't mean retirement. I'm still thinking about starting at the Olympics in 2026," she added. ■
