Nicola Spirig announces retirement from triathlon

Five-time Olympian Nicola Spirig has today announced that she will retire from racing triathlon at the end of the 2022 season.

Announcing on her social platforms, the London Olympics gold medallist said:

“Over the past 25 years, I’ve achieved just about everything I’ve ever dreamed of, both athletically and personally. I’ve been able to take part in five Olympic Games, I’ve won two Olympic medals and seven European Championship titles, I was Switzerland’s Sportswoman of the Year, I’ve built up a foundation and the Kids Cup series, and I’m a mother of three wonderful children.

“I am incredibly grateful and also somewhat proud to have been able to experience all of this over the years. I am at peace with my life and my career, which is why I have decided to retire from professional triathlon at the end of the current season.”

Two-time Olympic medallist

The 40-year-old Swiss athlete has had one of the most illustrious and consistent multisport careers, which reached its pinnacle in 2012 when she won the Olympic Games in London’s Hyde Park.

The qualified lawyer and mum of three added a silver to her Olympic medal haul four years later in Rio, and finished a phenomenal sixth at the 2020 Tokyo Games last summer.

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A post shared by Nicola Spirig (@nicolaspirigofficial)

Spirig will be hoping to end her career on a racing-first high as she’ll be taking on the invite-only Sub8 Challenge in June. Sadly, she’ll be going it alone as Lucy Charles-Barclay has been forced to withdraw due to injury.

In her statement, Spirig added: “In my final season, the Sub8 project, an incredible challenge, will be a first highlight coming up in June. Thereafter, I will be entering a few more events before wrapping up the year and my career. I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and to dedicate myself to new, exciting projects.”

We wish Nicola a fantastic farewell season and all the very best for her future endeavours.

Top image: Tim de Waele/Corbis via Getty Images

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Liz Barrett Freelance sports journalist, copyriter and editor

About

Former 220 deputy editor Liz Barrett started work on the magazine in 2007 as staff writer. During her 18 years with the brand, she reported live from almost every major triathlon across the globe, including the Ironman World Championship, the 70.3 World Championship, six World Triathlon Grand Finals, Challenge Roth, the 2014 and 2022 Commonwealth Games, the London and Paris Olympics and the Rio Paralympics, to name but a few. Name a pro and chances are she’ll have interviewed them, so, unsurprisingly, she’s still our go-to pro-athlete expert. She now works as a freelance journalist, copywriter and editor.