It is hard to believe it is ten years since Jan Frodeno sprinted his way to Olympic glory. Those years have been kind to him and no prize in triathlon has eluded him. There has been marriage and two children, and injury and setback but Frodeno maintains a virtually clean sheet of race wins. Bad races for Frodeno still see him on world podiums such is his pedigree, ability and preparation. He has been two years absent from the Ironman 70.3 World Championships though, with Jan prioritizing training for Kona over long trips to Mooloolaba and Chattanooga. This year the temptation to race in the country he grew up, against the most accomplished field an Ironman 70.3 World Championship has ever amassed surmounted that caution. Frodeno declared his intent to race in early August and in doing so indicated his current confidence in his fitness.
2018 has meant a fairly sparse race calendar for Frodeno. With the birth of his second child in February and a high-speed bike crash in June, that was to be expected. But he has won every race he has entered; Challenge Taiwan, Ironman 70.3 Oceanside, Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau and Ironman Frankfurt.
In 2014 Frodeno was run into second place by Javier Gomez at Ironman 70.3 World Champs by almost a minute. In 2015, Gomez, and indeed Kienle, maintained that advantage over Frodeno’s run pace but could not capitalize on it given Frodeno’s mighty bike leg. With those experiences in mind and Frodeno’s cycling prowess he is unlikely to leave this Championship to the run leg, his second Ironman 70.3 World Championship may be captured in the undulating terrain and changing winds of Port Elizabeth, the Windy City, on the bike.
