Jan Frodeno on dealing with setbacks and turning disappointment into success

Despite finishing the season as PTO World #5 and clinching a memorable victory at the PTO Tour US Open, his final Pro campaign wasn’t all plain sailing for triathlon great Jan Frodeno.

Having originally been on the start list for IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside in April, Frodeno was forced to withdraw and extend his highly anticipated return to racing, having last finished a race in August 2021.

Discussing his career with rising star Mika Noodt in a recent video in the ‘Unlock Your Greatness’ series on Canyon’s YouTube channel, the Olympic gold medallist shared the lessons he learnt on patience, dealing with setbacks and setting yourself up for a successful career in sport.

“They are coming no matter what”

Whilst Frodeno experienced the highs of race wins in Milwaukee and at IRONMAN 70.3 Andorra this year, his season wasn’t without disappointment, with the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice not the fairytale ending the legend deserved.

Having been in contention during the swim and the bike, things fell apart on the run for Frodeno, as he eventually finished 24th in the final race of his career. Dealing with setbacks like this, says Frodeno, is a key part of success.

“I think dealing with setbacks and how you handle them is probably the key part to having a successful career, because they are coming no matter what.

“Something will go wrong and the less you find yourself in self-pity and the more you find yourself being proactive is probably the best, it’s part of the journey and part of what builds you up.”