Lange wins silver at the Ironman World Championships
Frodeno endures a bitter day as a “dying gladiator”
September 10, 2023, 3:36 p.m
What a bitter and emotional finale for Jan Frodeno. He is suffering and has no chance of winning his fourth world title. The family comforts him. Patrick Lange runs into the medal ranks on the final marathon route.
Before the big Patrick Lange catch-up, Jan Frodeno sneaked out of the transition tent with a distorted face and went behind the barrier before his last marathon as a triathlon professional. He hugged his wife, his mom, high-fived his father and, with a smile, got kisses from the children. The dream of the final crowning of a great triathlon career turned into a sporting nightmare for the 42-year-old superstar when compatriot Lange won silver. In his last professional race, Frodeno had nothing to do with the title at the Ironman World Championship premiere in Nice.
For a long time. “It was really hard. I knew that today would be the hardest Ironman I’ve ever done,” he told Hessischer Rundfunk. After the 3.86 kilometers of swimming and 180.2 kilometers of cycling, he started the final 42.2 kilometers in just under 13 minutes. As he has done so often, Lange showed his exceptional running qualities and finished runner-up behind Frenchman Sam Laidlow. The Dane Magnus Ditlev came third. At that point, Frodeno was still struggling over the route. “The gladiator dies in his arena,” said Frodeno to a cameraman from Hessischer Rundfunk while still on his bike.
After an unusually long change into his running shoes, he came out of the tent and initially only had one goal: the family, which he now wants to give more time to after the end of his career. “That’s Jan. That’s what sets him apart,” said his mother on sportschau.de after the famous son went to his loved ones before his last marathon as a triathlon professional. “Emotionally it’s a very difficult day,” said the father. And friend and ex-rival Sebastian Kienle’s voice faltered as a TV expert: “It really brings tears to my eyes.” For him, Frodeno still remains “the greatest who has ever done the sport”. Hawaii legend Mark Allen (six wins) commented via Instagram: “Out of the hunt, but an athlete and a champion of the highest quality.”
The headlines belong to Laidlow
It was supposed to be his day, the culmination of a great career with the Olympic victory in Beijing 15 years ago and the Hawaii triumphs in 2015, 2016 and 2019. But it turned out to be Sam Laidlow’s big day. The French Hawaii runner-up from 2022 won in impressive style. Frodeno went into his last day of work as a triathlon professional with a golden cap when the starting gun went off at 6:50 a.m. 25 degrees warm water, practically no waves, a sunrise on the Côte d’Azur like something out of a postcard shop.
But it wasn’t a picture-perfect race for Frodeno. When it came to swimming, everything went according to plan; he came out of the Mediterranean in third place. Lange was over a minute behind and was 13th after the first four kilometers. In order to get the tight aero suit over his wet skin, Frodeno had put two small plastic bags in, but he still lost a bit of time changing and even tore a hole in the high-tech fabric. Lange set off on the extremely difficult cycling course a minute after his compatriot.
2,400 meters in altitude, long climbs, fast and dangerous descents – the professionals and over 2,000 age group athletes had no time for the beautiful views in Tour de France style. There was massive criticism after the decision not to award the men’s World Cup title in Hawaii but in Nice, thus leaving the USA for the first time since the premiere in 1978, while the women’s turn will be in Kailua-Kona on October 14th. Will be swapped next year.
Medal winner Lange first drinks a beer
The actually planned career finale in Hawaii last year didn’t work out for Frodeno after a partial tear of his Achilles tendon at the start of the season, blood poisoning and serious hip problems. The more intense, the greater, the more longed-for was becoming Ironman champion again in his last professional race. It wasn’t a happy ending. Laidlow quickly took the lead and pushed the pace. The Hawaii runner-up from 2022 pulled away from everyone and came into the second transition zone with a clear lead over his pursuers. Frodeno still had a few kilometers to go on his specially painted bike. Initially at the front, he steadily fell behind. At kilometer 53 on the bike it was 4:40 minutes, at kilometer 94.5 just under ten minutes.
Lange had long since caught up with the big national competitor and used another climb to leave Frodeno behind. “It’s certainly not the Jan Frodeno day as we know it. That hurts my soul,” said even Lange’s coach Björn Geesmann, who had wanted a showdown between the two Germans on the last kilometer of the run.
But while Lange was able to show off his excellent running qualities, Frodeno said goodbye without a chance, but with dignity. “I’m looking forward to having a beer with him this evening,” said Lange. Frodeno was still dragging himself along the running route and giving up at the end of his career was definitely out of the question.