New perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
Denmark’s Helle Frederiksen announced today that she has decided to withdraw from next month’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Zell am See, Austria.
Frederiksen, a former Olympian and now half-iron distance specialist, will not be able to race due to an injury. According to the press release, she has been battling knee issues since early May.
Frederiksen won last year’s Challenge Bahrain event against one of the toughest fields ever assembled at the half-iron distance, posting a stellar 3:55:50 finish time in the process. She went on to win Ironman 70.3 Latin American Championships in Brazil and Ironman 70.3 Texas.
“I live for the big races,” Frederiksen said in a press release. “Racing on the biggest stage the sport can provide, against the toughest competition imaginable is what drives me. It shatters me to know I won’t be a part of this years Ironman 70.3 World Championship.”
“My health and long term consistency amongst the absolute top of the sport motivates me more than short term success,” she continued. “I need to listen to my body and give it the time it needs to heal.”
The press release concluded by saying that Frederiksen hopes to be ready to compete by November’s Challenge Bahrain triathlon.