Sigi's tips | The quiet farewell of Simon Schempp

Sigi Heinrich

The first analysis may have felt like a punch in the stomach, taking your breath away. For Simon Schempp in Oberhof, it wasn't so much the result of the sprint that gave him pause, but rather the brutal realization that he was no longer competitive on the cross-country ski trail. The raw numbers from his only competition this season prove this mercilessly. The 58th place came with just one shooting error. The sheer running time was the real shock. Place 73. Simon Schempp was at the end.

Now he has one of his own accord The end to his career was drawn . He no longer feels able to turn things around. Over, over. The biathlete Simon Schempp no longer exists. We filmed a podcast together in the summer. Arnd Peiffer was also there and we agreed that we would definitely meet again at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022. Perhaps Schempp already felt doubts back then. Who knows. After all, dreams have to live. Schempp had some exciting duels with Fourcade. © APA / HELMUT FOHRINGER

Simon Schempp doesn’t need that But he already missed the World Championships in Östersund (Sweden) and Antholz (Italy). And for the title fights in Slovenia, which begin on February 10th (all races live on Eurosport), even the smallest qualification was missing. He is no longer in the team and already missed the internal qualification before this season. And honestly: I can't imagine Simon Schempp in the IBU Cup or at a European Championships. In competitions of the second set after the World Cup, which are primarily intended to be a showcase of talent. Simon Schempp really doesn’t need that. He doesn't have to put himself through that anymore, and the 32-year-old probably saw it that way. A turning point for the DSV And yes, it is a small turning point for German biathlon. And yes, it makes me a little sad too, after all, I commented on every one of his races. Even the 2008 Junior World Championships in Ruhpolding, where he won a bronze medal in the relay. Even if he wasn't there recently, he was always omnipresent, because biathlon in Germany over the last ten years was clearly linked to Simon Schempp. He was considered an outstanding talent, with many drawing comparisons to Ole-Einar Björndalen or Martin Fourcade. It was often said by his international colleagues that he had the ability to play a similarly dominant role as these two influential biathletes of their era.

I fondly remember the mass start at the Olympic Games in Pyoengchang, when Simon Schempp was only narrowly beaten by Fourcade in the finish sprint. The Frenchman was initially annoyed because he thought he had lost gold. The target photo ultimately decided in his favor and Simon Schempp? He took it in an outstandingly sporting manner. “I guess my feet are too small,” he said with a smile. Fourcade was 14 centimeters ahead of him after 15 kilometers. Simon Schempp was considered an Antholz specialist. © AFP / VINCENZO PINTO

Simon Schempp, who lived in Ruhpolding by choice, was not one to bang on the drums. He always preferred quiet tones. He never let it be known when his body repeatedly struggled against the high demands of top-class sport. It wasn't so much muscular injuries that slowed him down. At times he was simply worn out, tired, without energy. Perhaps this great talent should have been trained and looked after more sensitively and with much more personal focus over the years. Maybe he simply ignored some of the breaks that people wanted to give him, because Simon Schempp was also someone who liked to train a lot. Maybe sometimes too much.

He is now the first of the four musketeers to get out of the saddle. This is also a new situation for his former colleagues and friends Arnd Peiffer, Erik Lesser and Benedikt Doll. Of course, Simon Schempp doesn't have to give up biathlon entirely. His partner, Franziska Preuss, is a medal candidate at the upcoming World Championships. But be careful, Simon: keeping your fingers crossed can also be quite tiring.

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Sigi's tips | The quiet farewell of Simon Schempp

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