Janina Hettich-Walz: Als Biathletin mit Kind zurück im Profisport | SWR Sport

Last year, Vice World Champion Janina Hettich-Walz became a mother to a daughter. She tells SWR Sport when and why she plans to retire from biathlon. The delivery went smoothly for competitive athlete Janina Hettich-Walz. Just a few days after giving birth, she started her first strength training exercises, and barely a month later, she was back on skis. Hettich-Walz describes it as a rollercoaster season. She rates her performance as a "B or C," adding, "More like a B or B in skiing, and a D in shooting." Shooting has often been her strength in biathlon, but it didn't go well at all this past season. She frequently had to ski penalty loops, especially after the standing shooting stage. Nevertheless, it was a very special year for her. Her daughter Karlotta was born in February 2025, and Janina Hettich-Walz celebrated her comeback at the German Championships in September. "The Olympic Games were my biggest motivation. If you have a goal in mind, you can achieve it," she says confidently. The Olympic mission became a joint project between the German Ski Association (DSV) and her family. "My husband, Kai, was able to work flexible hours. We reorganized everything every week. My parents had our little one for at least one day a week, and my in-laws also helped us a lot." However, things didn't go as planned at the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina in February 2026. She was sidelined for a while by illness. Eighth place in the individual event and fourth place in the relay were her best results. Her wish for an Olympic medal was not fulfilled. "The disappointment was huge," she reflects. "Coming to terms with the fact that I wouldn't achieve this dream in my career wasn't easy. This was my only chance. Because for me, it's clear: I won't be competing in four years." This is mainly due to family planning. "I want another baby someday, and with two children, I can't imagine that at all." Four years of preparation is simply too long, and the investment involved in the extensive travel required for competitive sports is too great. Therefore, her plan is: "One more year, maybe two more – and then my career will come to an end." More information about Janina Hettich-Walz: https://www.swr.de/sport/frauen-im-sp... +++Up Close+++ Emotions, background information, portraits – we bring you up close to athletes from Southwest Germany. What are these athletes thinking about? What does their daily life look like? We tell very personal stories about extraordinary people. And we're "Up Close" for you. More from SWR Sport can be found here: @SWRSport_Fussball SWR Sport on the web: https://www.swr.de/sport SWR Sport on Facebook:   / swrsport   SWR Sport on Instagram:   / swrsport   SWR Sport on Twitter:   / swrsport   Comments are welcome – but please observe our netiquette: https://www.swr.de/netiquette Legal notice: https://www.swr.de/impressum/ Privacy policy: https://www.swr.de/datenschutz