Search
shop

Sebastian Kienle gives a fascinating insight into the mindset of a world championship winning athlete

Sebastian Kienle, one of long course triathlon's greatest stars, shares some interesting and insightful thoughts on the dangers of tying your self worth to your sporting performance.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

After saying goodbye to professional triathlon last year after an incredible career, German Sebastian Kienle has continued to share his sporting wisdom in retirement.

The former IRONMAN World Champion, who recently released a book about his final season in professional triathlon, has remained active on his YouTube channel.

In his most recent video, the 39-year old highlighted the pressure top athletes put on themselves and revealed just how easy it is to tie your self worth to your sporting performance as a pro.

Advertisement

“I have detached myself a little further from sport”

Speaking on the topic of retirement and how he knew when it was time to step away, Kienle said that after retirement he was able to properly disconnect for the first time from high performance.

Sebastian Kienle Norseman Triathlon 2023 Finish
German great Sebastian Kienle finished second at the Norseman Triathlon in 2023 (Photo by Alexander Koerner/Zalaris Norseman).

“The things that have already changed [since retirement], is that as a professional you are always tell yourself that your life depends on how well you do in a race.

“That might not be the case at first, but you keep telling yourself that because it puts you in a position to put up with the s*** in training and do the things that you don’t enjoy, because that’s the pursuit of happiness.

“I think what has already developed in me is that I realise that my happiness or whether I can be happy or not no longer depends to the same extent on my sporting success. No matter how things will be in the future, I have realised that I have detached myself a little further from sport.”

“Respect is there either way”

For Kienle, stepping away from triathlon also helped him realise that professional sport had not only impacted his personal perception of success but also his perception of what would garner respect from others.

“I don’t want to say that I don’t care about it, but I have realized that it used to be important for me to have encouragement from the outside and to receive respect for my sporting performance.

“Now however, I realize that the respect is there either way and it’s not just there because of the sporting performance, which has been a process within myself.” 

In a sport where it can be easy to let a bad race or training session severely impact your mental wellbeing, Kienle’s message provides some valuable lessons for the mental side of professional triathlon.

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
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
ironman hamburg 2025 podium laura philipp kat matthews solveig lovseth beer
Challenge Roth 2025: Laura Philipp backed to make triathlon history by crashing through magical time barrier
Challenge Roth press conference 2025
Challenge Roth 2025: Date, start times, how to watch live and who’s racing
Georgia Taylor Brown wins supertri Toulouse 2024
British Olympic legend Georgia Taylor-Brown to make triathlon return
Gwen Jorgensen reflective World Triathlon Cup Vina del Mer 2023
‘Unbreakable’ Gwen Jorgensen ‘bruised’ after bike crash but vows to bounce back
IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue Women For Tri 2024
IRONMAN announce new age-group qualification system for Kona and 70.3 Worlds
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

Share to...