Generation duel in triathlon
Doping frustration reduces Frodeno’s comeback joy
5/4/2023 5:04 p.m
A year to forget lies behind Jan Frodeno: Blood poisoning, a torn Achilles tendon, a wheel fall – triathlon is hardly to be thought of for the oldie. Now he feels in top shape again and wants to attack in the generational duel. But there is a message that causes frustration.
For the next comeback attempt, Jan Frodeno’s opponents could hardly be more exquisite. This Saturday in Ibiza there will also be a (generational) duel between the German Olympic champion and three-time Hawaii champion and the 29-year-old Norwegian Olympic champion and Ironman world champion Kristian Blummenfelt. In his last serious triathlon season, the 41-year-old old master meets the new star of the scene.
“You can never be sure with Kristian. He’s either in great shape or something goes wrong,” said Frodeno before the PTO European Open in Ibiza. Frodeno got a starting place via wildcard, Bummenfelt had helped. “Relax, Jan. I think I know someone who knows someone who knows someone,” he explained with a grin via social networks during a PR-effective back and forth of the champions. It is a duel that fascinates triathlon fans, said Frodeno. “The duel is of course much more than a duel. As always, I try not to focus too much on one person,” he emphasized.
Blood poisoning, torn Achilles tendon, wheel fall
The fact that he will also meet Alistair Brownlee in the race over two kilometers of swimming, 80.2 kilometers of cycling and 17.8 kilometers of running puts Frodeno on an even higher emotional level. The native Rhinelander has a special relationship with the two-time Olympic champion from Great Britain – one that is not necessarily intimate. “Historically proven,” Frodeno called it. A Brownlee bump at the finish after Frodeno’s Hawaii triumph in 2019 is unforgettable.
Physically, Frodeno feels fit and ready. But it was a long road, he stressed. Less than a year ago he was in the hospital with blood poisoning. “The aftermath was lengthy.” 2022 was a year to forget for Frodeno. Partial tear of the Achilles tendon, hip problems after a wheel fall, which had to be treated surgically several times. In Roth, he had to retire prematurely due to renewed Achilles tendon pain. “I’m even more careful now when it comes to bad pain,” he emphasized: “I always ran through it as a young savage.” He therefore worked a lot more in prevention and prepared every unit.
Doping case makes aggressive
In the middle, Frodeno was disturbed by something completely different – the doping case Collin Chartier. “Of course, this news was extremely frustrating. But it was even more frustrating for me how succinctly and without any consequences of his own he apologizes – in quotation marks – and says his life goes on,” said Frodeno and emphasized: “But we can sweep up the shards. “
Chartier was recently convicted of taking the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO. The American won the US Open of the Professional Triathlon Organization last year, was 14th in the world rankings and apologized for his massive breach of the rules on social networks with the pressure to succeed and mental stress, among other things. The 29-year-old no longer wants to continue his career after a three-year ban.
This kind of self-pity makes him aggressive, as does the apology for doping. “It’s just disgusting for me and so foreign to my inner values that I even had to nibble on it in some units,” said Frodeno.