Brussels (RWH) Bobsleigh pilot An Vannieuwenhuyse from Belgium has announced her retirement. „After the Olympic Games I took my time to contemplate my next step. An even though I love the physical Challenge of pushing a sled, get an absolute thrill finding the fast lines in the track, have an incredible time building amazing friendships with my teammates... I have decided to retire from the sport of bobsleigh“, the 31-year-oled wrote on Facebook.
An Vannieuwenhuyse started her career in bobsleigh in November 2011 pushing the sled of Elfje Willemsen. Alread one year later she switched to the pilot seat herself. Amponsgt others, she won bronze at the 2015 Junior World Championships
Her best season in BMM IBSF World Cup was 2015/2016 when she finished sixth overall. In 2019, An Vannieuwenhuyse was seventh at the European Championships and eighth at the BMW IBSF World Championships in Whistler (CAN). At her two Olympic races 2018 in PyeongChang and 2022 in Beijing she finished 12th and 15th, respectively. During the last World Cup seasons, the Belgian occasionally joined commentator Martin Haven as expert in the booth and was known and appreciated for her profound and exciting analyses. ©RWH2022
Photos: IBSF / Viesturs Lacis
