Home » News » Frodeno and Haug win in Hawaii – Drama about Lange – Sport

Frodeno and Haug win in Hawaii – Drama about Lange – Sport

Kailua-Kona (dpa) – Jan Frodeno and Anne Haug were back at the finish line long after midnight, holding hands with fans, helpers and competitors and singing the Hawaiian song.

After their historic first German double success at the Ironman World Championship, they also cost the last finishers of the relentless 3.6 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running every second of a memorable day that was up for compatriot Patrick Lange a not very picturesque parking lot on the edge of the bike course had ended brutally and early. The 33-year-old defending champion had to quit.

After a fever on the short night before the race, he gave the all-clear before the clap of thunder in the Bay of Kailua-Kona at 6.25 a.m. After a good hour on the bike, however, he complained of dizziness. His manager Jan Sibbersen reported that it had been black for a long time. Frodeno was already looking forward to the duel with the defending champion, it is also about the German Ironman supremacy.

“I was a bit frustrated when I heard that Patrick had dropped out,” commented Frodeno after the race: “I then only had him virtually as an opponent.” As a punishment, the 38-year-old from Cologne, Lange, also took off the course record.

Although the conditions this time with a very wavy swim and sometimes strong wind on the bike course were worse than at Langes 7:52:39 hours a year ago, Frodeno took the target tape on Ali’i Drive after 7:51:13 hours between the Hands and let us celebrate. “I’ve dreamed of this day for so long,” said Frodeno with the wreath of leaves in his hair and around his shoulders.

«I have already had great and very difficult days here. But I’ve always wished for a day like this, ”he emphasized. Frodeno satisfied his longing for a perfect race. “It’s so amazing when it works and that when you’re on the road you think: You have to enjoy it now, even if you’re at the limit. But you don’t know whether you will get to the starting line here again so blatantly. ” With tears in her eyes, his wife Emma was the first to congratulate.

Frodeno distanced second-placed Timothy O’Donnell by 8:25 minutes, Sebastian Kienle was 10:40 minutes behind his buddy: “Jan was in a world of his own,” commented the 35-year-old from Mühlacker, who with his 2014 World Cup triumph was one had initiated the German title series for the men, which had now lasted for six years.

“Jan left his mark on this race,” emphasized six-time Hawaii winner Mark Allen. Right at the forefront when swimming, often even at the forefront when cycling and the clear boss on two wheels, never running so fast in Hawaii.

With Anne Haug, too, things went as the 36-year-old Franconian had hoped for. When swimming even better than expected, she rode in a strong group on the Rag. The eight minutes on Lucy Charles-Barclay, who later came second, were no problem. After seven and a half hours, Haug took the lead from the running track and crossed the finish line with a lead of over six minutes in 8:40:10 hours.

“That’s fantastic, I can hardly believe it myself,” said Haug, who couldn’t see the exertion. After third place a year ago, now on the top podium – as the first German. Nina Kraft was denied the 2004 victory because of doping. In addition, Laura Philipp narrowly missed the podium on her debut as fourth.

“We are still speechless after that night,” wrote the German Triathlon Union on Instagram. “Both Jan and Anne belonged to the national team of the DTU for many years and laid the foundation for their sporting career here,” emphasized association president Martin Engelhardt in a message on Sunday. And: Both are trained by the former national coach Dan Lorang – also coach of the new German cycling star Emanuel Buchmann.

Not too far from the rousing, but also moving and poignant finish-line party at midnight, Lange tried to process the greatest disappointment of his Ironman career. There was initially no statement from the dethroned defending champion and record holder. “Patrick is doing well under the circumstances and thanks him for all the positive news,” said his management.

The winner in 2016, when Frodeno had still finished the race despite an injury, and in 2017, when Frodeno had not started because of a stress fracture in his hip, quickly fell behind after a dazzling swim on the bike course. After about 70 kilometers, he suddenly braked and pulled over to the right. Lange writhed over his handlebars.

He rolled a few more meters on the hard shoulder, then got off his bike and into a parked car. Nothing worked. After the season had already had more lows than highs and the race week in Hawaii had started badly with his wife crashing his bike and a refused US visa for his coach Faris Al-Sultan.

Start list

Long successes

Homepage Frodeno

Portrait of Kienle

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