Last weekend marked the final competitions of Benedikt Doll’s successful biathlon career – making him the last of a generation of German World Champions (Schempp, Peiffer, Lesser and himself) to hang up his rifle.

Sunday’s mass start in Canmore was the 34-year-old’s final competition – and he was welcomed with hugs, glitter and banners in the finish area.

Canmore was also the site of Doll’s first Youth Junior World Championships in 2009. Doll announced his retirement after the World Championships in Nove Mesto where he secured bronze in the Individual – the current season has been one of the most successful ones of his career with back-to-back sprint wins in Lenzerheide and Oberhof.

Now, the Sprint World Champion from 2017 is looking forward to new challenges, and spending more time at home – but he’ll definitely return as a spectator in the future.

Watch the full interview here:

Photo: Manzoni/IBU