Ander Mirambell ended his racing career skeleton At a big event held at the Carpe Diem restaurant next to the beach of Barceloneta in Barcelona. The Catalan athlete hangs up his helmet after an adventure that began in 2005 with a dream of reaching the Games on another beach, Calella, and ended seventeen years after four Olympic games.Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022), 11 at the world championships, two Copa América titles, and the Spanish title of the discipline (he helped create it). His new professional role will lead Belgian pilot Kim Meylemans, one of the heroes of the international circuit, and accompany skeleton’s future talents as Athletic Director of the Royal Ice Sports Federation in Spain.

The skeleton pioneer in Spain began to forge his path in this sport. Royal Spanish Ice Sports Federation. The then-exotic and unknown modality section of the Calella Athletics club began to form a dream at its inception linked to the famous cross-country ski suit or shoes made with cheese graters, anecdotes that Mirambell recalls at her farewell ceremony. His tenacity and stubbornness to be an Olympian has led him over the years to build completely from the ground up, compete head-to-head against teams of several million budgets, and even make him a benchmark of modality and an inspiring example for new generations. Generations of athletes in our country. Along the way, seventeen years in numbers that take your breath away when viewed in perspective: 4 appearances at the Olympic Games, 2 America’s Cups (the first European to win so many titles), 92 matches in the World CupUnique details such as the Spanish champion (the scepter with which he distributes equal virtues between victory and his creations), the top 5 in IBSF races and the historical record for the fastest speed on the track (139.9 km/h). St. Moritz, skeleton cathedral. However, his personal legacy goes beyond statistics, as evidenced by the IOC’s request to display the helmet he wore in Beijing 2022 at the Olympic museum in Lausanne.

During this afternoon’s event, Ander, who has always been very emotional, was surrounded by family, friends and representatives of the media: “I don’t feel this moment as a memory. farewell, but as an opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts to achieve these results. I feel like a runner who crosses the finish line and hugs his family and waits for him. I would love to say goodbye at the World Championships in my favorite track, Saint Moritz, but my personal future and the future of the skeleton in Spain asks me to put the sledge aside”.

Mirambell explained her future plans below:I park my stage as an athlete to start a new era as Athletic Director and coach of the Royal Spanish Federation of Ice Sports. The first action, in fact, will be the recruitment of new athletes in Madrid on Friday 20 May and Barcelona the next day (registrations are open at [email protected]). I will combine this activity with that of the Belgian pilot technician. Kim Meylemanns”. But his connection to the skeleton will go even further, as he has just submitted his candidacy for the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s (IBSF) Sports Vice President, whose board will decide next July in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ander knows the sport very well and his experience, creativity and professional background can be very helpful in promoting both modalities.

Before concluding, Ander Mirambell thanked: “A special thank you to my usual physical trainer, Bernat Buscà, and much more than just a friend; To Sant Cugat CAR professionals; to my trainers, Ueli, Mickey, Martin Rettl and Richard Bromley; to my rivals and teammates from all these years, who have been my family for months every season; To the different professionals of IBSF; institutions that allow the skeleton to be where it is (REFDH, CSD and COE); and to my friends and communication managers, Alberto Karadağ and Cristian Mestres. But above all to my family, without whom none of this would be possible. And finally, to everyone who took these informative notes and pushed my sleigh with your work. I have nothing but gratitude to all of you who have helped me throughout my sports career. So thank you very much and see you all the time”.