Skeleton legend Martins Dukurs ends his career – Winter sports

Dukurs finished the previous season with the seventh place in the competition of the Beijing Olympic Games. After the finish at the Olympic Games, Dukur admitted that he would not rush the decision to end his career, but doubted that he would be able to compete in another four years at the Milan and Cortina Olympic Games.

“If it’s done, then it’s done. If I continue, I’ll throw myself into it completely. I don’t want to work half-time like that, there won’t be any results that way. You have to work hard and try to develop, there’s no point in just skating,” Dukurs emphasized in a conversation with LETA agency in February.

During his career, Dukur became Olympic vice-champion twice, world champion six times, and European champion 12 times. In the World Cup competitions, Dukurs climbed to the podium 90 times and won 61 victories.

Dukurs was undefeated in the World Cup standings for 11 seasons.

“I have experienced painful losses, screaming victories, indescribable passion and the desire to prove myself again and again. This addictive feeling cannot be dispelled, and I know right now that I will miss the competition,” writes Dukurs in his statement.

Dukurs competed in five Olympic Games, winning silver medals in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014. Four years ago in PyeongChang, he finished fourth, and in 2006 in Turin and this year in Beijing, he was seventh.