"I planned to stop in 2002 after the Salt Lake City Olympics. I felt able to remain competitive another four years, and I wanted to stop while I'm still at the top"

Hermann Maier was a specialist towering skier from Austria that won two gold medals at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. In this quote, he is referring to his decision to relinquish competitive winter sports in 2002 after the Salt Lake City Olympics. He really felt that he was still able to continue to be affordable for an additional four years, however he wished to retire while he was still at the top of his video game. This choice was likely a difficult one for Maier, as he had accomplished excellent success in his profession and was certainly passionate concerning skiing. However, he picked to retire while he was still at the height of his performance, which is a testament to his devotion to his sporting activity and also his commitment to quality.