Belgian figure skating star Loena Hendrickx has announced her retirement from competitive skating at the age of 26. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hendrickx said the physical demands of elite competition had ultimately led her to the decision.
"You see my logo on the screen here, but behind it is a dot. That actually says it all. I am putting an end to my career as a top athlete," she said. "I still enjoy it, but my body has become a stumbling block."
The announcement comes several months after the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, when Hendrickx repeatedly declined to comment on her future. Earlier this year, she had already withdrawn from the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, citing the need to recover after an injury-plagued season.
"As a little girl, I could never have dreamed of achieving so much"
At the time, she explained that she had been forced to peak early in the campaign in order to qualify for the Olympic Games.
"With those injuries on top of that, it seemed best to us not to do the World Cup and to focus on getting fit again," she said in February. Although she had returned to the ice after the Olympics, she acknowledged that "my body needs rest."
"I could continue skating at my current level, but that is no longer good enough for all the new emerging talents. I want to be able to say goodbye with a sense of satisfaction," she said and added, "I needed time to process it emotionally."
Reflecting on her career, she expressed pride in what she had achieved on the international stage.
"I am very proud of everything I have achieved. As a little girl, I could never have dreamed of achieving so much. I am grateful that I have been able to do all of this."
Hendrickx leaves the sport as the most successful Belgian figure skater of the modern era. She won silver at the 2022 World Championships and claimed a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, becoming the first Belgian woman to reach the world podium in decades. She also took silver at the 2023 European Championships after winning European bronze in 2022, and represented Belgium at three Winter Olympics.
Beyond her medals, Hendrickx helped raise the profile of figure skating in Belgium, regularly competing among the world's elite despite battling injuries throughout much of her career.
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\u200b#FlandersNewsService | Loena Hendrickx competes during the Figure Skating Women Single Skating - Free Skating of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan © PHOTO PICTURE ALLIANCE (DPA)
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