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Jan Frodeno at the beginning of July when he had to give up the long-distance classic "Challenge Roth" in pain
Photo: Daniel Karmann / dpa
For Jan Frodeno, his hip injury was about more than continuing his triathlon career.
"My doctor in Germany did the diagnostics remotely and said to me at some point: 'Boy, just so you get the point, this is no longer about sport, this is about being able to walk normally again at some point'," said the 41st man -year-olds in an interview with »Welt«.
That was the moment, according to Frodeno, when he said to himself: "Now everything else is secondary."
If the alternative is a tissue transplant, it's not about three and a half watts more or less on the bike, "but about a dignified retirement at some point".
Frodeno had suffered from a so-called Morel-Lavallée lesion on his hip and had recently had three surgeries.
Previously, however, he had had problems with an initially incorrectly treated Achilles tendon injury, and Frodeno had also suffered broken ribs in a fall with his bike.
He has already left the hospital.
In his new adopted home of Andorra, Frodeno wants to prepare for the coming year, which should be the last of his successful career.
In 2008 he celebrated his first major triumph with the Olympic victory in Beijing, in 2015, 2016 and 2019 he won the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and became a superstar on the scene.
The last career year 2023 should end in Hawaii
He had to cancel his participation in the World Cup in October, and he had already missed the catch-up World Cup in May.
At the legendary Challenge Roth in July, he had to stop shortly after switching to the running track.
The past few months have come relatively close to 2010 and 2011, said Frodeno.
At that time he was on the verge of burnout.
"I didn't really want to experience that again."
Actually, if Frodeno had won in Hawaii this year, he would have ended his career there - there would have been a farewell race in Germany.
"I see it positively that I'll even get the chance to continue for another year and work through everything," he said.
2023 should now be his last career year, ending with the competition in Hawaii.
He is looking forward to tackling the final year of his career with his family.
see/dpa
