Karin Mayr-Krifka retires: "I had a great time!" |
 Karin Mayr-Krifka, Austria's most successful sprinter, announced her retirement on Tuesday, 19 June 2007. The 36-year old won three international medals in the 200 m - bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest 2004, silver at the European Indoor Championships 2002 in Vienna and another silver 2005 at the European Indoor Championships in Madrid. She won 45 national titles and holds national records over 50m (6,27 sec), 60m (7,15 sec), 100m (11,15 sec) and 200m (22,70 sec indoors and out). The most impressive moment of her career came in 2002, when she placed second in the European Indoor Championships in front of the home crowd in Vienna and narrowly missed out another medal in the 60m where she came in fourth. Since October 2003 Karin Mayr-Krifka was coached by Malcolm Arnold. For about two years she was a frequent guest in his house and at his training group in Bath. Married to Gerfried Krifka, a 10,69 sprinter, Karin gave birth to her first daughter Christiane on 6 May 2006. Eight months later, in January 2007 she stepped on the track again, clocking 7,59 seconds for 60m in the Vienna Dusika Stadion. In the course of the indoor season she improved to 7,48 seconds. It was her goal to qualify for her third Olympics after Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. However, the news is that Karin Mayr-Krifka is expecting another baby in January. This made her decision easy to quit competing. "I had a great time in athletics. But now it's definitely over. The decision to end my running career was not difficult. I am very happy with my achievements. My heart is with my family and I'm really looking forward to our second baby." |
| Andreas Maier |
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