Sven Hannawald: "I Was Threatened by the Fate of Enke"

Hannawald reveals secrets

On November 9, Sven Hannawald will celebrate his 50th birthday. In an interview, the former ski jumping star discusses past comeback plans and the hardest phase of his life.

Hannawald is regarded as one of the best German ski jumpers in history. As he turns 50, the Olympic team champion of 2002 shares dramatic insights into his career's end in Sport Bild, revealing a secret.

Hannawald’s struggle with burnout syndrome is well-known. His last jump in the World Cup was in February 2004, where he finished in 47th place in Salt Lake City after a celebrated career. Shortly after, he had to end his season prematurely.

"I then flew to Spain for vacation, and that’s when I collapsed," recalls Hannawald about arguably the hardest time in his life.

Hannawald draws parallels to Robert Enke

"I was admitted to the psychosomatic clinic in Bad Grönenbach, where I received psychotropic medication in the first two weeks just to survive the next night," he describes his state at that time.

He even draws parallels to former Bundesliga goalkeeper Enke, who took his own life in 2009 due to depression: "If I had not gone directly to the clinic at that time, I would have faced the same fate as Robert Enke later on. Fortunately, I got help and got back on track, where I could enjoy life again."

In late April 2004, Hannawald's illness became public. The constant performance pressure and his perfectionism were critical factors leading to his mental collapse. The persistent dieting to stay as light as possible on the jump was perhaps the last drop that overflowed the barrel.

Note from the editor: If you are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, please contact a helpline immediately (http://www.telefonseelsorge.de). You can receive help from consultants who have been able to show paths out of difficult situations numerous times through the free hotline 0800-1110111 or 0800-1110222.

Ski jumping: Hannawald retired in 2005

It wasn’t until summer 2005 that Hannawald officially announced his retirement. Nowadays, the ARD expert pays much more attention to his body.

"Every week I create my own free time where I have time for myself. I pay close attention to how I schedule my appointments and no longer do ten things at once," said Hannawald. This way, he gives himself room to breathe and can survive stressful phases.

"And the foundation is clearly my family. That is the difference from before," explains Hannawald, who currently weighs 75 to 76 kilograms. During his active skiing time, he weighed just over 60 kilograms at a height of 1.84 meters. His target weight is 80 kilograms.

Hannawald considered a comeback

In his discussion with Sport Bild, Hannawald revealed one more secret; at the end of 2004, he considered a possible comeback.

"Secretly, in November 2004, I jumped again in Hinterzarten. I wanted to test how it felt and if it could work again. I knew I wouldn’t win the Four Hills Tournament again, but my dream was to achieve the ski flying world record. However, I immediately realized that physically it no longer worked."

Hannawald: 50th birthday at the Wok World Championship

The ski jumping legend is spending his 50th birthday in an unusual way - Hannawald will participate in the Wok World Championship in Winterberg.

"That fits me very well because I’m not a big celebration master. I wouldn’t really know what to do at home anyway. So it will be a spectacular leap into the next half-century," Hannawald said.