This is probably not how Jan Frodeno had imagined his last race in front of a German audience. After a fatal accident, he will apparently end the Ironman in Hamburg prematurely.
Hamburg - It was supposed to be a comeback and a farewell at the same time: When Jan Frodeno jumped into Hamburg's Binnenalster early on Sunday morning, it was the beginning of the end of an era. The start of the only German Olympic triathlon champion to date at the Ironman European Championship in the Hanseatic city was to be the 41-year-old's last appearance in front of a German audience. But then everything turned out differently. A terrible accident overshadowed the triathlon, Frodeno allegedly ends the race prematurely.
| Jan Frodeno | |
| Age: | 41 years (August 18, 1981) |
| Sport: | Triathlon |
| Greatest successes: | 1x Olympic gold, 3x winner Ironman World Championship, 2x winner Ironman 70.3 World Championship, 3x winner Ironman European Championships |
Serious accident at Ironman in Hamburg: motorcyclist dies
But what had happened? According to initial information, a motorcyclist belonging to the TV production collided head-on with a cyclist on Sunday morning on the Gauert main dike in the south of Hamburg during the race. The motorcyclist was killed. The cyclist was seriously injured, but according to initial information, his life is not in danger. The cameraman, who was also on the motorcycle, was slightly injured.
Since the Ironman was not cancelled after the accident, the athletes had to get off their bikes in the second lap before the accident site, carry them up the dike and continue from there.
It was supposed to be Jan Frodeno's big farewell to "his" German audience, now he will probably end the Ironman in Hamburg prematurely. © Oliver Gold/imago
Jan Frodeno probably cancels Ironman in Hamburg
The ARD broke off the broadcast after the accident, but shortly before it sounded in the sports show that Jan Frodeno would probably end the race prematurely due to the accident. "I spoke to Jan Frodeno's manager. He will most likely take Jan out of the race, because of course everyone knows about the circumstances by now. They can't imagine continuing a race for hours and then crossing the finish line with happy faces in downtown Hamburg at some point," said the Sportschau reporter.
Over the past two years, Frodeno has repeatedly been plagued by injury concerns. A partial tear of the Achilles tendon was followed by a bicycle fall, which resulted in three operations. Before the World Championships in Nice in September, his last career goal, the Ironman in Hamburg should now be another stress test. But that's probably not going to happen. (msb/dpa)
