Retirement at 28: Luge World Champion Jonas Müller ends career

From Rock Bottom to Olympic Dream

The 28-year-old had already come close to ending his career years ago. "I actually wanted to quit in 2022 because I didn't qualify for the Olympics," Müller recounted. The missed qualification for the Winter Games in Beijing was an "extreme setback" in retrospect. "In hindsight, I'm glad I kept going."

The decision to continue paid off. "Looking back, it even made me stronger. Nothing is a must, everything is possible – with that attitude, the lightness and consequently the quality returned," Müller explained. In 2023, the World Championship title followed, and in 2024, he became European champion for the first time on his home track in Innsbruck.

Müller finally fulfilled his Olympic dream in Cortina. "Finally, I have them, it was the right decision not to quit three years ago," he said, referring to the silver medals. The Olympic silver was the "highlight" of a "tremendous" season.

Respect and Understanding for the Decision

Despite the successes, the motivation for continuing recently faded. Even the home World Championships in January 2027 on the track in Igls, where he celebrated his first World Cup victory in 2019, did not serve as an incentive. "The motivation is simply not there anymore," Müller said. "I would have had to be training fully again long ago to be able to make demands."

Müller began luge at the age of seven. His neighbor Andrea Tagwerker, who won Olympic bronze in 1994, was a coach at the Bludenz Luge Club and introduced him to the sport. His parents are from the area around Frankfurt and had no previous connection to luge.

The announcement of his retirement met with great respect, especially on social media. "It surprised me that it caused such a stir. Apparently, many people don't dare to admit it publicly and say: 'Yes, I'm afraid'," Müller said.

An Unusually Early Farewell

Teammate Wolfgang Kindl, who is still active at 38, paid tribute to Müller. "Jonas is a cool guy and teammate," Kindl said. The Olympic silver crowns Müller's career: "It crowns his career, that's what was missing for him."

Luge federation head Markus Prock showed understanding for the decision. "Jonas helped luge reach an even bigger stage with his achievements. He always supported the team, he will certainly be missed as a person and an athlete, and will always remain a part of the luge family," Prock explained.

Müller himself looks back on his career with gratitude. "I had a great time with great successes and am very grateful to everyone who supported me on my path. Especially my parents, the coaching and support team, the entire team, and the federation," he said. His family, girlfriend, and friends were present at the Olympic Games in Cortina.

At 28, Müller is unusually young for a bobsledder to retire. He is the youngest in the Austrian national team – teammate Wolfgang Kindl turned 38 in April and is not thinking about quitting anytime soon. However, Müller emphasized that a season lasts 14 weeks and the preparation takes eight months – an effort he no longer wants to undertake.