Berchtesgaden (pps) The two-time Olympic silver medalist Barbara Niedernhuber from Germany has finished her career as a luge athlete and will start a senior police training course. This information was given by the German federation BSD in a press release dated Monday, September 25.

„I have not fully recovered from my ankle operation in July and would never have been fit at the beginning of the season,“ the 32 years old athlete from the German luge club WSV Königssee explained her sudden decision. The 1998 and 2002 Olympic silver medalist, 2004/2005 overall winner of the Viessmann World Cup series and four-time deputy World Champion had to undergo an operation on her right foot after suffering a splintering of the ankle during training. Due to a bacterial infection of the wound the policewoman is still unable to walk free of pain. A few days ago Niedernhuber passed a selection process for the senior police executive service and can begin her education at the federal police academy in Lübeck, Germany, already on October 9.

On December 5, 1997, with the first of her altogether five World Cup victories, Barbara Niedernhuber laid the foundation of the still ongoing victory series of German women, who have been by now been unbeaten in 65 World Cup races.