Olympic Games 2018: Pechstein ends his career after Beijing 2022

The five-time Olympic speed-skating champion Claudia Pechstein wants to end her career after the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

“I’m announcing the end of my career,”said Pechstein at a press conference on the occasion of her 46th birthday. She said she was the only one who decided when to resign:”Me and no one else.”

After the disappointing eighth place on her parade track 5000 m, the Berliner had already announced her intention to run for another four years.

The German flag at the closing ceremony will not carry Pechstein. The Berlin woman will travel home before the ceremony and will not take part in the ceremony on Sunday.

Their seventh Winter Games have not yet been crowned with sporting success. Beside eighth place over the “long edges” Pechstein ran over 3000 m to the ninth place. In the team pursuit she did not get past Gabriele Hirschbichler and Roxanne Dufter in sixth place,”I see the big picture. The season was very successful with two World Cup victories. I don’t have to hide,”said Pechstein.

On Saturday in Pyeongchang she will be on the ice for the last time at the Olympic premiere of the mass start:”It’s a lottery race. I’ll try to qualify for the final. The young chicks are a bit more brisk about tactics. I intend to do the same thing,”said Pechstein.