Sochi Olympic champion Sandro Viletta retires with injury

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:12 p.m. ET

CHUR, Switzerland (AP) — Olympic champion Sandro Viletta has retired from skiing because of persistent injuries.

The 32-year-old Swiss racer said Tuesday he no longer had full confidence in his skiing after twice rupturing knee ligaments in the past two years.

He won the Olympic super-combined at the 2014 Sochi Games ahead of Ivica Kostelic, who took silver for the third straight time.

Viletta trailed in 14th place after the downhill, behind Kostelic and defending champion Bode Miller, then surged to victory with a fast slalom run.

On the World Cup circuit, Viletta won a super-G in Beaver Creek, Colorado, in 2011 but was then slowed by back injuries. He last raced two years ago when crashing in Val Gardena, Italy.

Viletta said he hopes to retrain as a coach.