Swiss athlete very open

Simon Ammann reveals: “Everything became too much for me”

Simon Ammann has had a difficult few months.(Bild: GEPA)

Simon Ammann makes no secret of the fact that he has had a difficult season. While he was downgraded to the Continental Cup at times, his studies also robbed him of important time. "That was really tough. Everything became too much for me, I felt tired," Blick quotes the 43-year-old as saying. 

Having to juggle his now 27-year-old ski jumping career and his business studies really sapped Ammann's strength. "Going straight into the learning phase was borderline. I'm one of the older ones and can no longer pull as many night shifts as the younger ones," the Swiss recalls.

"Need a little breathing space"
The four-time Olympic champion has learned his lessons from the past year, and fewer courses are planned for the upcoming semesters. "I need a little breathing space so that I can survive this time in a healthy way," says Ammann, who wants to complete his studies next summer.

The 2009/10 overall World Cup winner is by no means looking to close the chapter on his ski jumping career. The Toggenburg native is looking forward to his 28th season with motivation: "I've been able to make the most of the last few weeks to rectify some mistakes from the past." The World Cup kicks off with the competition in Lillehammer next weekend.