Nils Frommhold started competing in triathlons at the age of 19.

HAVING made a name for himself as a swimmer Nils Froomhold decided to become a triathlete at the age of 19. He soon found himself finishing in the top ranks of some national youth competitions and the rest is history as once he made his way into the German national team he remained there until 2012.

Nils still believes there is much left for him to achieve as a triathlete and here outlines some of his goals for the future as well as reliving some of his triathlon triumphs of the past.

When did you start out in triathlon and who inspired you to give the sport a go?

Wow, that is a long time ago: I started as a swimmer and made my move into triathlon when I was around 19 years old. I think in some way I inspired myself because I wanted to try something new, so I set the goal to compete in a triathlon. After my first races some people came to me and said my performance for a newcomer was surprisingly good and so I decided to give it a shot and try myself as a triathlete.

Nils was part of the German national team until the end of 2012.

What were some of your earliest successes in the sport?

It was a tough challenge to become a triathlete at all and I think my very first success was that I made it into triathlon and changed my way of life for that. As a former swimmer my training often was in the earlier morning hours before I went to school, maybe there was another training session in the afternoon. Becoming a triathlete also meant to become a cyclist and a runner and to train like those. But I think your question is based on my first good results: I managed to finish in the top ranks of some national youth competitions in a short time and made my way all up into the German national team where I was until the end of 2012.

Nils’ career as a triathlete has taken him to countries all around the world.

Where in the world has the sport taken you and what have been some of the highlights?

Truth be told: it might be easier to count the countries the sport has not taken me, yet. A place I really love is South Africa. I have good memories on my Ironman victory back in 2014 and for sure there is Kona, Big Island, Hawaii. Kona is a special place and it means a lot for me that the world championship race of our sport is located on Big Island. It’s hard to explain what is so special about Kona, when you have not been there, did not breath the air, felt the wind, heard the sea and in the end suffered during the race. Kona is my absolute favourite place.

Nils won his first Ironman in Arizona in 2012.

What do you see as your biggest triathlon triumphs?

As a German triathlete it was a great experience to win Challenge Roth in a overall time of 7:51 hours in 2015. But winning my first ever Ironman in Arizona in 2012 was also a special moment for me. 

In which discipline of the sport do you excel at and at which do you have to work the hardest?

I always say: my strength is that I have no weakness. But you can also turn it the right way round and you’ll see that you have to work hard every time in every single session to improve and become a better you.

Nils believes there is still much for him to achieve as a triathlete.

What are your aims and goals for the rest of the year and beyond?

Kona is my main goal this year and I focus on that completely. There are a lot races I would like to do in the future and still some places left I have to see. So let’s see what the future will bring.