Germany's cross-country skier Hanna Kolb has announced her retirement from the sport ©Getty Images

Germany's cross-country skier Hanna Kolb has announced her retirement from the sport.

The 26-year-old is regarded as one of the best sprint athletes the country has ever produced.

She won the under-23 world title in the freestyle sprint in Erzurum in Turkey in 2012 and added classic technique bronze a year later in Liberec in the Czech Republic.

Kolb made her debut on the International Ski Federation World Cup circuit in 2009, on home snow in Düsseldorf.

She appeared on the flagship circuit 115 times and ended on the podium twice in team sprint events.

Hanna Kolb competed at three editions of the Winter Olympics ©Getty Images
Hanna Kolb competed at three editions of the Winter Olympics ©Getty Images

At the World Championships, she finished 11th in the freestyle sprint in Lahti in Finland last year.

In addition, she competed at three Winter Olympic Games - Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018.

"I took a long time after the exciting winter to sort myself out," said Kolb on Facebook.

"I have decided to finish my cross-country career."

Kolb now plans to focus on her university studies.