Emile Hegle Svendsen has retired from biathlon ©Getty Images

Norwegian biathlete Emile Hegle Svendsen has announced that he has retired from the sport.

According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Hegle, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, said that it was "actually a huge pleasure".

The 32-year-old, who won two silver and one bronze medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in February, added that he felt he was failing to reach his previous heights, hence his decision to retire.

"[I] needed a little time after the Olympic Games season because I often felt that the spark could come back," he said.

"But I wasn't close to (getting it back)."

Emile Hegle Svendsen won his first Olympic title at Vancouver 2010 ©Getty Images
Emile Hegle Svendsen won his first Olympic title at Vancouver 2010 ©Getty Images

Svendsen, who is also a 12-time World Championship gold medal-winner, won his first Olympic gold medals in the individual and relay events at Vancouver 2010.

He followed this with victories in the mass start and mixed relay competitions at Sochi 2014.

At Pyeongchang 2018, the Trondheim native won silver medals in the relay and mixed relay along with a bronze in the mass start.

Svendsen, who won the overall World Cup title in the 2009-2010 season, follows fellow Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, an eight-time Olympic champion, into retirement.

Forty-four-year-old Bjoerndalen, a legend of the sport, announced his retirement last week.