April 27, 2016 (Canmore, AB) – Zina Kocher, a three-time Olympian, announced her retirement following the end of the biathlon season. The veteran athlete was a national team member for 15 years earning a stellar bronze medal in the 15km individual race on Nov. 29 at the IBU World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden as the 2006/07 season got underway. It was Canada’s first women’s medal since Myriam Bédard won Olympic gold and bronze in the early 90s and has yet to be matched.

Another milestone was helping guide the women’s relay squad including Rosanna Crawford, Megan Imrie, and Megan Heinicke to a stunning 4th place result in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, France back in 2013.

While she fell short during her Olympic appearances she delivered the fastest ski speeds of her career – top three in the world – but shot poorly. Her 4th in the Pursuit at Pokjluka, Slovenia in ’09/10 was notable because “I went from 10th to 4th and was close to the podium shooting 20/20 for the 1st time in a World Cup.”

Kocher was able to close out her career with a silver medal performance at the 2015 IBU Cup at home in Canmore, and at the IBU World Cup held there in 2016. We caught up with her just before she headed out on a backpacking vacation with her boyfriend as a career in midwifery and starting her own family are in her future plans.