Talent shock in the ÖSV: Martin-Luis Walch says goodbye at the age of 21!

Talent shock in the ÖSV: Martin-Luis Walch says goodbye at the age of 21!

Innsbruck, Österreich - Martin-Luis Walch, once acted as the future star of Austrian skiing, surprisingly ended his career at the age of only 21. The talented skier, who was considered a possible successor to Matthias Mayer and Vincent Kriechmayr, announced his resignation to Instagram and commented on this with the words "One Hell of A Ride".

Walch's sporting career was strongly accompanied by injuries. In total, he suffered two heavy cruciate ligament tears in the left knee in just eleven months. The first injury happened during the free skiing and the second during a training camp in Nakiska, Canada. These setbacks led to inner doubts and a reflection on his sporting future, which is why he finally decided that he no longer wanted to operate racing. "I want to be honest with myself and to the people who have invested in me," said Walch.

personal plans and return to psychology

The Vorarlberg plans to graduate in psychology at the University of Innsbruck. In the long term, he intends to return something to skiing in a different function. This decision was not easy for Walch because his resignation put a great burden on him. The presses describe him as a promising talent that could further shape Austrian skiing.

In addition to the sporting challenges that Walch faced, it is important to note that athletes are generally exposed to a high mental burden. Services under pressure can lead to mental illnesses, which shows a study from 2010. This identifies up to 640 stressors which competitive athletes are exposed to during their career. The pallet ranges from the pressure to injury to an unhealthy perfection claims.

mental health in competitive sports

A Dutch meta -analysis also shows that athletes who involuntarily end their career are more susceptible to psychological symptoms even after the end of the career. Typical problems include mental stress, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders and depression. Despite the loss of stressors in competitive sports, the prevalence rates of the psychological problems remain above the average of the normal population. Around 20 % active athletes report mental stress, while they are around 16 % with former athletes.

Walch is aware that his decision has not only sporty but also psychological implications. The pressure and search for identity -creating elements in the race can also be a challenge for many athletes after the active career. The demand for interdisciplinary psychosocial support concepts in sport is getting louder and could also be important for Walch while he is taking his new life.

The developments around Martin-Luis Walch remind us of the fragile natures of career in competitive sports and the continuing challenges that athletes face up for even after the end of their sporting career.

Similar topics are also dealt with in the discussion about the mental health of athletes, as shown in the studies that document the pressure and stressors during and after the sporting career. Walch is not only in his fight; Many athletes also fight with the transition phase after sports life.

to learn more about the background and the relevance of mental health in competitive sport, see OE24 , tz and Journal of Sports Medicine .