Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Zubkov retires

Alexander Zubkov, right, Alexey Negodaylo, Dmitry Trunenkov, and Alexey Voevoda, wave to the crowd after they received the gold medal during the men's four-man bobsled competition final at the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. Natacha Pisarenko/AP

MOSCOW — Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning Russian bobsledder Alexander Zubkov has announced his retirement at the age of 40.

Zubkov piloted the Russian two-man and four-man sleds to victory at February’s Winter Olympics in Sochi. He also carried the Russian flag at the opening ceremony.

Zubkov won silver in the four-man bob at the 2006 Turin Olympics and bronze in the two-man event in Vancouver in 2010.

Local media reported he chose to retire after a long-term injury ruled him out of competing at the start of this season.

In May, Zubkov was attacked by unknown assailants who smashed up the Mercedes he received for winning his gold medals in Sochi.

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