Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher (R) talks about his retirement with a host in Salzburg, Austria, September 4, 2019. /VCG Photo
Austria's Marcel Hirscher said on Wednesday he was no longer "ready to pay the price" after calling time on an illustrious alpine skiing career that saw him win a record eighth consecutive overall World Cup title this year.
"Today is the day when I end my active career," the 30-year-old Austrian told a packed press conference in the city of Salzburg.
The multiple world and Olympic champion said he made the decision two weeks ago, saying he had noticed after the season's end that it was taking him longer than before to recover and considered himself lucky to be healthy and ending his career without any serious injuries.
"I always wanted to stop while still winning races... I'm not ready anymore to pay the price. I have always put in my full commitment and effort," he said, looking calm and casual in a white T-shirt.
But he admitted making the decision to call it quits hadn't been easy, adding "the last two weeks were full of turbulence".
"It is a life that one stops from one day to the next... I had never dared to dream I would win so much," he said.
Marcel Hirscher of Austria celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's Alpine skiing giant slalom event during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea, February 18, 2018. /VCG Photo
Hirscher already has two more overall World Cup titles than the second most successful skier in history, fellow Austrian female skier Annemarie Moser-Proell, who won six large globes.
She is followed by Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg with five, and American Lindsey Vonn and Austrian Hermann Maier both with four.
Earlier this year, Vonn retired aged 34, as did her close friend Aksel Lund Svindal, at 36.
Vonn congratulated Hirscher on his "amazing career".
"Racing in the same era as you has been an honor. 8 overall titles is a record no one will ever break!" the American wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
The slalom specialist has also secured seven world championship gold medals, as well as two gold medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, eclipsing his previous best, a slalom silver from Sochi four years earlier.
One of the records that escapes Hirscher, however, is the one for the total number of World Cup victories. There, Hirscher's 67 wins fall short of the 86 won by Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark.
But Svindal said Hirscher could still be the best skier ever.
"It's been an absolute honor competing with you. Excuse me Stenmark. I think maybe the greatest skier of all time is Marcel Hirscher. At least that's how it felt trying to compete against you. Because you've been almost too good," he said.
Marcel Hirscher of Austria competes during the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals men's giant slalom event in Aspen, U.S., March 18, 2017. /VCG Photo
Praise also poured in from Austria for one of the ski-mad country's favorite sporting sons.
"Your exceptional accomplishments have shaped professional skiing and are a huge incentive for our young junior athletes," former chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Twitter.
Austrian papers had been running front-page headlines for days on Hirscher's expected retirement.
"Bye Marcel" the Oesterreich tabloid front page read Wednesday, and "Thank you Marcel!" said the Kronen tabloid on Saturday.
Hirscher had spoken before about calling it quits - as early as 2014, in fact - and more recently had said that he would spend more time with his family. He married and had a son last year.
On Wednesday he said he wanted to play football and ride motocross with his son.
"I'm excited to see what the future will hold for me, how I will feel," he said, adding he ruled out a comeback for now.
Born in Annaberg-Lungoetz, near Salzburg, Hirscher started to ski at the age of two, taught by his father, who has been by his side and coached him throughout his career.
His family spent summer seasons in an Alpine hut in the mountains around Salzburg, according to a media interview with his father.