German Ski Jumper Simon Spiewok Retires at Age 22: 'I Kept Asking Myself: Is This Worth It?'

German Ski Jumper Simon Spiewok Retires at Age 22: 'I Kept Asking Myself: Is This Worth It?'

A young talent decides to step away. German ski jumper Simon Spiewok has announced his retirement at just 22 years old. He stated, "I kept asking myself: Is this worth it?"

According to reports, injuries have played a significant role in this unexpected decision. Spiewok has faced ankle problems for the past one to two years and underwent surgery in April, but unfortunately, it did not yield the desired results.

"In July and August, I repeatedly questioned if this was worthwhile," Spiewok explained. This winter, he was set to compete in the German B-Team. "I’ve decided to follow a different path, not just related to my ankle issues," he stated, mentioning that his body had also endured challenges in other areas due to the demands of elite sports.

Ski Jumping: Talent Chooses Academia Over Sport

"It has been good, beautiful years. But in the last two years, I have not been able to enjoy it as much because the pressure to reach the top of the world has grown immensely." At age 13, the promising ski jumping talent moved to Willingen for training at a sports boarding school. After graduating high school in 2019, he pursued his career further in Hinterzarten.

Nonetheless, Spiewok has now definitively closed the door on ski jumping. Reports indicate that he has moved back to his hometown in North Rhine-Westphalia and is now studying business administration at the Fernuniversität Hagen.