Frodeno Announces Kona Aspirations
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Minutes after crossing the finish line at Ironman 70.3 California, the 2008 Olympic champion announced that he plans to bypass this year’s Ironman 70.3 World Championships to focus on Ironman Hawaii.
“I’ve decided to go for Kona, the Holy Grail of triathlon,” said Frodeno. “I’ll be racing [Ironman] Frankfurt to do my first Ironman and I have a feeling it’s going to be a long, long day.”
While 140.6 will be a new challenge for the German, Frodeno has already proven he excels at long course, with early-season wins at Ironman 70.3 Auckland and Ironman 70.3 California already to his credit.
He is the most recent of several former ITU specialists to shift his focus to Ironman. Frodeno shares this background with several former Ironman world champions including Craig Alexander and Chris McCormack, but he is the first men’s Olympic champion to take a shot at Ironman.