COVER STORY
I know as an endurance athlete there is nothing like having a partner who truly understands your sport , who knows how training , nutrition and recovery work . Jan has this in Emma and it doesn ’ t go unnoticed by him , especially with a baby in the house .
“ My wife Emma has been great . I sleep with an eye mask and ear plugs in , so I am still sleeping well ,” Jan says with an appreciative smile .
Success on the triathlon course is not new for Jan . It ’ s almost a decade since he won his Olympic gold medal . The upward trajectory of success has continued as the distances have grown longer since Beijing . In 2016 he backed up his 2015 win at Kona with a record-breaking race and collected a Challenge Roth notch in his belt along the way in a time of 7:35:39 . The podium has been a familiar place for some time , and this doesn ’ t look set to change any time soon .
But it ’ s not just on the course where Frodeno is winning . There is an aura of success and that sits comfortably in the space around him when he talks about the business around the sport . Frodeno is right across how relatable the sport of triathlon is , the opportunities this presents and the value of this in his role as an athlete .
“ What interests me is the business side of the sport . Developing that ( aspect ) has been very very interesting because triathlon is very much a user-friendly sport , so there are a lot of people that actually do our sport . In a lot of the traditional sports you don ’ t find a lot of people that actually participate in them , but in triathlon we do have that and that opens some interesting doors , as people can relate ,” explains Frodeno .
Jan clearly loves our sport . When he speaks of his races , he doesn ’ t dwell on splits and records – ironic , I know . He talks excitedly about the history of the races , the people he ’ s racing now and how it feels to be a part of it . If it wasn ’ t for the results , you could forget that racing is his job .
“ For a triathlete , I think Roth is one of the most iconic races . There have been some epic battles . Think back to Lothar Leder and Macca and the sprint finish - in an ironman distance race it was unheard of . The spectators are phenomenal . We Germans seem to be a bit endurance-sport crazy , I think . Challenge Roth is an absolute bucket list race ; you have to have done it as a professional triathlete ,” said Frodeno .
Jan Frodeno is smart . He thinks and responds quickly to my questions , but it ’ s with an authenticity that tells you his answers are genuine , not honed by a PR manager in a boardroom . He speaks without arrogance or entitlement , just calls it as he sees it .
Before heading into the the World Championships in Kona 2016 , he was asked about Craig Alexander ’ s course record .
“ Of course I think it ’ s breakable but in an Ironman a lot is dependant on conditions . But I do feel that on the right day , anything is possible ,” he said . And for him , it was a good day , but Alexander ’ s record remained intact .
People like Frodeno . Other athletes like Frodeno . He may sit at the very top of the distance triathlon world right now , yet he is relatable and likeable . We love a ‘ good sport ’ who can fire up if he thinks something is not right ( as he did when he called out Great Britain ’ s Harry Wiltshire for trying to impede his swim in Kona ), but who also takes time , every time , to say hello to everyone along the way .
We look forward to seeing what ‘ our Aussie ’ Jan Frodeno brings in 2017 .
LEGENDS DAVE SCOTT ( L ) AND MARK ALLEN ( R ) HELP FRODENO TO HIS FEET IN KONA
10 | MULTISPORT MAGAZINE