Search
shop

Lionel Sanders says “my peak is yet to come,” claims he can emulate Jan Frodeno

'No Limits' says he can emulate the great German
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Lionel Sanders claims his best is yet to come as an elite triathlete as he looks to emulate the great Jan Frodeno.

The Canadian, now 35 years old, has had a rollercoaster 12 months after finishing second at the IRONMAN World Championship in May 22 before bombing in Kona and splitting with coach Mikal Iden.

Now, self-coached and targeting the middle distance, Sanders believes he has what it takes to succeed and is not discouraged by his age or the emerging crop of younger athletes vying for a place on the top spot.

Sanders says he can copy Frodeno

Speaking in an interview with Super League Triathlon, Sanders talked about his time left in the sport, and re-iterated his belief that his best performances are still to come.

“My peak is yet to come, most definitely, I believe that wholeheartedly. In my opinion, Jan [Frodeno] is the best to do it, the best all round, the most consistent on the day when it was the time to do the best, he was able to do it at the right time.

“I believe that he was 38 when he won the 70.3 world championships and ran what many people would say is the best run off the bike, he went toe to toe with [Alistair] Brownlee and [Javier] Gomez in South Africa.

“He was 38 then, and the next year he came back and broke the course record at Kona completely unchallenged at 39.”

The start of the best Lionel Sanders?

Discussing his own chances of similar success, Sanders said that he intends to continue chasing his best performances and wholeheartedly believes he is capable of surpassing his previous levels.

Lionel Sanders Arena Games Montreal game face on bike photo credit SLT
[Photo credit: SLT]

“I’m 35, I turned 35 a couple of days ago and it’s not to say ‘oh you’ve got a lot of time buddy’, but I think the best guy to ever do it did his best performances at 38-39 and so I think I can do the same and that’s what I intend to do and this is the beginning of that.” 

Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Superstar Hayden Wilde reveals decision day for potential comeback at T100 London
Sam Laidlow wins IRONMAN Leeds 2025
IRONMAN Leeds 2025: Laidlow validates Nice spot in perfect style with another win
Paula Findlay wins IRONMAN Boise 2025
IRONMAN 70.3 Boise results 2025: Findlay and Appleton the Idaho stars
Alex Yee wins Super tri Toronto 2025
Supertri Toronto 2025 men’s results: Stunning triathlon return from Olympic champ Alex Yee
Jolien Vermeylen wins Supertri Toronto 2025
Supertri Toronto 2025 women’s results: Jolien Vermeylen stuns big guns for famous DEBUT win
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...