Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann, 2 August 2025; Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu

On Wednesday 30 September 2026, the Luxembourg Athletics Federation (FLA) announced the retirement of middle-distance runner Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann from international competition.

According to the FLA, the 29-year-old athlete represented Luxembourg on the biggest international stages, including the European Indoor and Outdoor Championships, World Indoor and Outdoor Championships and, at the highest point of her career, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She also reached a European final, won a silver medal at the World University Games and set several national records.

Explaining her decision, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann said she had known since the beginning of the year that this would be her final season as an elite athlete, but had initially shared the decision only with those close to her. She noted that it had gradually become increasingly difficult to be “totally invested” at the level required by elite sport.

“I wanted to end my career while running still gave me pleasure. Of course, as an athlete, you always want more, but that wheel never stops turning: there is always the next race, the next major championship, the next goal... Today, I am at peace with myself and with this decision. I was fortunate to be able to finish my career on a very positive note, with a national record,” she said.

According to the federation, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann earned her first international selection as a junior at the European Team Championships in 2014. She later finished ninth in the 3,000m at the 2015 European Junior Championships in Eskilstuna and eighth in the 1,500m at the 2017 European U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz.

At senior level, she finished seventh in the 1,500m at the 2019 World University Games in Naples before establishing herself among Europe's leading athletes. She also won several medals and titles at the Games of the Small States of Europe.

The 2023 season marked one of the highlights of her career. At the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann set a new national indoor 1,500m record of 4:08.73 and qualified for the European final, where she finished eighth. A few months later, she won silver in the 1,500m at the World University Games in Chengdu, one of the main international results of her career. She also represented Luxembourg at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

In 2024, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann competed at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the European Championships in Rome before qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In August, she competed in the Olympic 1,500m at the Stade de France, marking her first appearance at the Olympic Games.

The federation noted that her progression continued in 2025. In July, she improved the national 1,500m record to 4:05.58 in Poznań before setting a national 3,000m record of 8:48.84 in Marseille a few days later. In August, competing in front of the Luxembourg public, she recorded 15:29.06 over 5,000m to establish another national record.

Her performances also extended to road running. On 4 January 2026, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann completed the 10km at the Prom'Classic in Nice in 33:37, improving the Luxembourg national record for the distance.

She continued to represent Luxembourg until the final months of her international career. Following the 2026 World Indoor Championships, she competed at the European Championships in Birmingham, including in the 5,000m and 1,500m.

Her final major international appearance came at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen on Saturday 19 September 2026. Competing in the mile, Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann finished 20th in 4:36.16, concluding more than twelve years of appearances for the Luxembourg national team.

She subsequently completed her career in front of the home crowd by improving the national 5km road record to 15:46 at the 2026 Route du Vin.