Skiing world champion Rolland announces retirement

Skiing world champion Rolland announces retirement

LYON - French skier Marion Rolland, the 2013 downhill world champion, announced her retirement on Tuesday following a series of injuries that saw her miss the 2014 Olympics and defence of her world title in 2015.

France's Marion Rolland celebrates with her gold medal after the women's downhill event of the 2013 Ski World Championships in Schladming, Austria

The 32-year-old stunned the field at Schladming, Austria, in 2013 when she won her first and only top level race by racing to gold in the world championships' blue riband event.

It was the first time a French woman had won the world championship downhill on the course.

She made her World Cup debut in 2004, at the age of 21, and had a series of top ten results including second in the downhill at Schladming in 2012 and a third place finish in the super-G the same weekend.

"I am now serene enough to take the decision to stop my career. I experienced some magnificent moments and managed to come back after some setbacks. The most important thing right now is to repair my knee correctly.

"I have some ideas for the future but it means I must be physically 100 per cent," said Rolland in a statement.

Rolland suffered torn knee ligaments while training in Chile ahead of the 2013-14 season which effectively ended her career.

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