Frodeno on top but rules out retirement u-turn
The 2008 Olympic champion and three-time Ironman world champion showed he can still compete with the best in Milwaukee
Jan Frodeno said he won’t be rethinking his planned retirement for the end of 2023 despite achieving one of the most satisfying victories of his long career in the PTO US Open.
The 6ft 4in German who turned to long course racing in 2014 with unparalleled success took the tape ahead of Jason West and reigning Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt in Milwaukee, but said the effort needed to win his penultimate race can’t carry on.
“I don’t know how many pieces of tape I’ve got holding me together today,” he said when interviewed post-race. “I love it, I really do, but I’m not sure my body would have another season in me.”
Frodeno, who turns 42 is under a fortnight, added: “Mentally, I’m looking forward to other adventures, supporting my peers and [in reference to helping out at an aid station in last year’s Ironman World Championship in Hawaii] handing out water cups when the girls are suffering out on the island.”
Having been beaten into fourth place in the PTO European Open in May, and finished fourth in the Ironman European Championships in Hamburg, Frodeno only had a lowkey victory in Ironman 70.3 Andorra to show for a season where after two disrupted years he has finally been able to get back racing.
“I was nervous coming in,” he admitted. “I knew the preparation was good but I pushed it to the limit coming here, knowing the season is [now] two races long for me and that’s how I wanted to finish my career – not just from a racing perspective, but seeing where my own physical limit is.
“That unfortunately meant that I trained around 40hr last week, missed the flight and spent a day at the airport, so I was pretty cooked the last few days. It’s an emotional rollercoaster every single time and you’re so invested in it as an athlete.”
Frodeno was undergoing knee surgery 12 months ago and went on to say that despite the world-beating performances, he has the same doubts as any regular triathlete.
“Often we just think of the last session and how we performed is what we’re worth as a human being. It’s just the way it is. But as my wife said, it’s a good thing to get as many sh*t sessions out beforehand, and then have a great race!”
He also had a special word for Blummenfelt who has been outspoken about beating all-comers, including Frodeno, but despite all his other triathlon titles has yet to win a PTO Tour event.
“Kristian has been so very vocal in the last few years and I know he beat me in Ibiza but he didn’t win, so to me it doesn’t count. So to go 1-0 on him, I’m pretty happy with it.”
Frodeno’s focus will now move to the men’s Ironman World Championship in Nice on Sunday, September 10, where after his showing in Wisconsin, he will be even shorter odds to take a fourth Ironman world crown, which would place him only behind six-time winners Dave Scott and Mark Allen in the list of M-Dot titles.
Top image credit: PTO
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
