Former biathlon star Dorothea Wierer has confirmed she feels no regret over stepping away from elite competition, trading her rifle for an ARD microphone ahead of the upcoming winter sports season. Following a 17-year career that yielded four world championship titles and two overall World Cup victories, the 36-year-old athlete announced her retirement in February.

Stepping Into Broadcast Ranks After 17 Seasons

During an exclusive interview at a summer biathlon event in Munich’s Olympic Park, Wierer addressed whether she misses the intense pressure of the World Cup circuit. “I have to be very, very, very honest: I don’t miss it at all,” she said with a laugh.

Her smooth transition into media comes as she succeeds Erik Lesser as an ARD expert analyst. Wierer acknowledged the weight of the new assignment, noting that following in Lesser’s footsteps presents a distinct challenge. “It’s not easy to step into Erik’s shoes,” she said, outlining her approach to the commentary box. “I try to remain fair. I know what it means to perform at the highest level in elite sports. But if something doesn’t go well, I’ll say it too.”

Rather than relying strictly on dense technical jargon, Wierer intends to draw from her extensive 17-year career to give viewers a window into the psychological realities of elite competition. “It’s a very complex world. But I don’t want to become too technical and complex,” she explained. “I still want to explain what it’s like to be an athlete. How it feels when you shoot penalty loops. What you feel when you win. What it’s like when you get along great in the team.”

What the Former Champion Still Misses

Despite her contentment with retirement, leaving the competitive structure behind has not been entirely seamless. Wierer admitted that the daily camaraderie of the national squad leaves a void. “Of course, I miss the team. Training with a team toward a goal. Eating together. Then you argue. It’s like a family. It’s a beautiful reality,” she noted, adding that the sport now requires fresh faces and renewed momentum.

Athletes to Watch on the World Cup Loipes

As the winter season approaches, Wierer has already identified specific German Ski Association (DSV) athletes who command close attention on the tracks. Among the men, she highlighted Justus Strelow. “He can shoot fast. If he can get a little bit more speed on the skis, he can run at the front,” Wierer assessed.

In the women’s division, Janina Hettich-Walz enters the winter on the strength of a dominant summer campaign, capturing three German championship titles alongside a fourth-place finish at the Loop Festival in Munich. “She is in super form,” Wierer observed.

At the same time, Wierer has set high expectations for 21-year-old Julia Tannheimer following her pair of top-ten individual World Cup finishes last winter. “From Julia Tannheimer, I expect a leap forward. But she is still very young,” Wierer cautioned, offering advice rooted in her own extensive experience. “You have to be patient. If you give it everything in the preparation, that doesn’t mean you win immediately. It can take weeks or months for the body to process all of that.”