Preuss into retirement in good mood despite Olympic nightmare

Germany's Franziska Preuss has no regrets and could even smile again on the final metres of her glittering biathlon career which did not end as planned.

Twice world champion Preuss came to the Olympics hoping for an individual medal but due to poor shooting called it quits with only a mixed team bronze.

She cried bitter tears after a penalty lap cost the team a women's relay medal and she had seven penalty laps in her final race, the mass start.

But that didn't matter as the reigning World Cup champion saluted the crowd on the home straight before embarking on a lap of honour with also retiring Italian great Dorothea Wierer.

"I am really happy that this chapter has ended. It was a really nice day, the perfect end," Preuss said.

Better results may have come had she not suffered a coronavirus infection and influenza in December, the final setbacks in a career marred by health problems. That was also the time to call it quits.

"I realised for a while that the total conviction wasn't there. I think biathlon deserves more. You must feel this passion 100%. If that is not the case you must accept it," she said.

"I am looking forward to what will come. I haven't really made any plans. It will be cool times because I can try out many things."

German biathlon loses its face amid its worst Olympic performance since the women joined the men in 1992, the mixed bronze being the only medal.

Preuss is convinced there is a future because we have "several young girls who will rock it" and sporting director Felix Bitterling spoke of "a chance for the young ones to step out of her shadow."

What Preuss can definitely do without is the social media abuse she and others were subjected to at the Games.

"Having to go through all that isn't worth a medal to me. You're still a human being. I haven't committed any crime or killed anyone. It's just sport," Preuss said.