PRAGUE, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Czech biathlete Gabriela Koukalova, 29, announced Tuesday on Facebook that she would end her sporting career.

"Today's move is not easy for me, but I decided to end my sporting career, "she said. "I am convinced that it is time to go on another life stage that I am already looking forward to."

She said on Facebook that at the beginning of last year she had to interrupt because of health problems.

Her last appearance was the mass-start World Cup race in March 2017 in Oslo, where she finished second. She had to skip the Olympic season due to health problems.

"During that forced pause, I realized a lot of things, cleared my head, rested and took on new strength," she said.

"Biathlon was an integral part of my life and I would want to remember forever those nice moments," she said.

Koukalova won two Olympic medals in Sochi in 2014, World Cup in 2015/2016 and the World Championship twice.