Triathlon Triathlon
Frodeno triumphs and is ready for his grand finale
Status: 03:36 | Reading time: 3 minutes
Salvation at the finish: Jan Frodeno wins the US Open of the Professional Triathletes Organization
Quelle: Professional Triathletes Organisation
In the penultimate race of his career, triathlon star Jan Frodeno showed his extra class: The Olympic champion and three-time Hawaii champion wins the PTO US Open. And also defeats Kristian Blummenfelt. The grand finale of his career in Nice can come.
He gave them all the lies. The doubters who thought that at 40+ Jan Frodeno could no longer keep up with the young guns of the triathlon world. The critics who said his time was up, the injuries last too bad, time to stop. But Frodeno himself never cared what others said – he was always sure: If he is really fit, hardly anyone can beat him. Despite his 41, soon 42 years. Despite the injuries and forced breaks. Despite the rapidly developing triathlon scene.
And he was right. On Friday evening Frodeno won the PTO US Open in Milwaukee (USA), a strong race over the total distance of 100 kilometers (3:14:12 minutes): two kilometers swimming, 80 kilometers cycling and 18 kilometers running. The American Jason West surprisingly came second in front of Norway’s triathlon hero Kristian Blummenfelt. This victory is of enormous importance for Frodeno – despite the long list of his successes. Too much had happened. And now comes the finale. “These were and are emotional weeks,” he said at the finish. “And I’m very fortunate to be able to enjoy that now.”
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You’d think this Milwaukee win was one of many for the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and three-time Hawaii champion. But it’s much more than that – clearly recognizable by his jubilation on the home stretch and later at the award ceremony. For Frodeno, it was the penultimate race of his career, i.e. the last test before the Ironman World Championships, which were moved from Hawaii to Nice, on September 10th. In addition, his career had not been easy in the past few months and years. With this success he has now shown all doubters, the competition and above all himself: He is still one of the world‘s best, if not still the greatest. Nobody should therefore write him off for Nice.
All plans and goals were gone
Actually, according to Frodeno’s original plan, he wanted to be in sports retirement for a long time and ended his career with a bang in October 2022 in Hawaii. Preferably with Ironman World Championship title number four. From a sporting point of view, 2022 was a year to forget for him: Achilles tendon problems, then this injury was treated incorrectly and the start of the Ironman World Championships in Utah in May was canceled. The comeback attempt in Roth in July ended in pain, Frodeno gave up after a few kilometers, no risk for Hawaii. Then a wheel crash with serious consequences, the consequences of which almost forced him to end his career. Hip surgery, forced break, spectator role in Hawaii – Frodeno was served.
Self-confidence fueled: Germany’s triathlon ace Jan Frodeno
Quelle: Professional Triathletes Organisation
Everything should get better in 2023, but it started out difficult: Frodeno fought back in training, but had to cancel his start of the season in the USA at the beginning of April due to a virus. He finally made his comeback at the PTO European Open in Ibiza in May – meanwhile fit again, but still developing in training. The race turned into an exhausting return for him. In the victory of the Australian Max Newman he was fourth, Blummenfelt second. His performance now at the US Open was a big step forward: strong, controlled, winning.
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What does that mean for Nice? Hard to say. The long distance is not comparable to the 100 kilometers, the hilly bike course in Nice is not exactly tailor-made for Frodeno. But the victory against strong competition shows: He’s back, his body plays along, and the soon to be 42-year-old is mentally ready for the last big race of his career.
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