Bjoerndalen delays retirement for 2016 worlds bid

[March 04, 2014]  OSLO (Reuters) — Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, who won a record 13th Winter Olympics medal in Sochi last month just weeks after his 40th birthday, has delayed plans to retire and will compete for another two years, he told tabloid VG on Tuesday.

Bjoerndalen, who won two golds in Russia, including the individual 10 kilometer sprint, said it would be a mistake to quit when he was in top form and wanted a shot at another world title on home snow when the 2016 event takes place in Oslo.

"It feels right to continue, I cannot stop now," Bjoerndalen told VG. "I have more to give and I really want this."

Bjoerndalen had not won an individual race for two years when he arrived in Sochi but his ruthless training regime, which included living in a secluded trailer next to his training grounds, paid off.

Bjoerndalen, who owns a record-equaling eight Winter Olympic golds, also has 19 world titles.

(Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; editing by John O'Brien)

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