Lara Gut-Behrami prend sa retraite: "Je n'ai plus de douleur chronique et je veux que cela reste ainsi"

Lara Gut-Behrami, 35-year-old Swiss ski racer, has officially announced her retirement from competitive skiing after a career spanning nearly two decades. The decision was made following a series of injuries that forced her to miss much of the 2024 season, including the opportunity to defend her Olympic title won in Beijing in 2022. In a statement released on Wednesday, she expressed gratitude for the long and successful journey, emphasizing that she does not suffer from chronic pain and wishes to maintain that state. “After almost 20 years of elite sports and numerous falls and injuries, I have no chronic pain and want it to remain this way. Therefore, I feel it is the best time to end my career,” she said. The announcement came several months after Gut-Behrami suffered torn anterior cruciate ligaments and a meniscus tear in her left knee during training at Copper Mountain in the United States in late November 2024. This injury prevented her from competing in the majority of the final season, including the February competition in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where she had hoped to defend her Olympic title. Despite initial hopes of returning for another season, tests conducted later in the year revealed that her recovery did not meet expectations, leading to the decision to retire. Gut-Behrami began her professional career in the World Cup in December 2007, at the age of 16, in Lienzen, where she finished 43rd in the slalom. Just one month later, she achieved her first podium finish in St. Moritz, securing third place in the downhill race, her first points in the World Cup. Her early success included a victory in the super-G in December 2008, marking the beginning of a remarkable career. Over the course of her career, she secured 48 wins, placing her second among the most successful Swiss female skiers behind Vreni Schneider with 52 victories. Only three other skiers have more World Cup victories than Gut-Behrami: Mikaela Shiffrin (110), Lindsey Vonn (85), and Annemarie Moser-Pröll (62). Throughout her career, Gut-Behrami earned two overall World Cup titles (2016 and 2024), six Crystal Globes in the super-G discipline, and three additional titles in the giant slalom. She also claimed gold medals at the Winter Olympics in Beijing 2022, winning the super-G and earning bronze in the giant slalom. Earlier, she won bronze in the downhill event at the 2014 Sochi Games. At the 2021 World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, she took gold in both the super-G and giant slalom, adding four silver and three bronze medals from other world championships to her collection. On a personal level, Gut-Behrami has found happiness with former football player Valon Behrami, whom she married in July 2018 in her hometown of Lugano. The couple had previously shared their relationship with the public in March 2018. She had also expressed a desire for family life, announcing in September 2023 her hope of becoming a mother soon, with a special wish to pass on her love for skiing to her children. Her retirement marks the end of an era for Swiss alpine skiing, bringing to a close a career defined by resilience, talent, and dedication. As she steps away from competition, Gut-Behrami leaves behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration, having contributed significantly to the sport’s history.