How did you come to triathlon and what sporting past do you have?
My sporting career began at the age of 4, where I found my enthusiasm in playing football and invested all my energy in the “Neue Heimat” club. I was also completely enthusiastic about fishing, where I even achieved the title of state and state champion. When I was young I played football for “Neue Heimat”, “Lask” and “Westbahn”, which I had to give up due to my working hours and an accident. Then I became enthusiastic about bodybuilding and Tae Bo. However, when I was no longer able to do this because of my intervertebral disc problems, my sporting career took place in front of the television on the sports channel. However, when I happened to come across the broadcast of the Ironman Hawaii, I was immediately enthusiastic about this sport. The combination of the different sports was also very good for my spinal disc problems since my doctor said I had to do a variety of sports. And so I trained for the sprint triathlon at Pleschinger See, where I was surprisingly even in the middle. Shortly thereafter, I contacted a sports scientist and began consistent training. From then on my heart was and is in this sport.
What do you like most about the sport?
What I particularly appreciate about this sport is the variety, not only in terms of the individual disciplines but also that the training is varied and it is therefore a new challenge for me every time. I also like the fact that I can spend a lot of my free time in nature, which is a nice balance to my everyday work.
Your greatest achievements?
World Championship 70.3 Lake Las Vegas, Ironman Carinthia 2011 in 9:25 hours, European Championship 2014 Sprint Distance, where I placed 4th in my age group, European Championship 2014 Olympic Distance, where I was the best Austrian in my age group, Berlin Marathon 2015 in 2nd place:49:30 hours
Which result are you particularly proud of?
I am particularly proud of my very first Ironman, which I finished in Carinthia in 2011 with a time of 9:25 hours, and where I also did my very first marathon in general.
What do you do besides sport (job, family, ..)?
Since 1991 I have been working at Grobblech GmbH as a production technician in shifts. In addition to training, I spend most of my time with my family, where my son Sebastian (2 years old) challenges me completely, which I enjoy very much, because being a dad means everything to me. I also spend a lot of time in Carinthia with my girlfriend’s parents, which of course is good for me when it comes to training. In addition, I really enjoy being in nature and trying out everything that challenges me in terms of sport.
How do you manage to balance family, work and sport?
……with a lot of patience and understanding from my partner and good time management.
Describe yourself in 4 words? Optimistic, goal-oriented, helpful, ambitious
Optimistic, goal-oriented, helpful, ambitious
Your life motto?
Who fights can lose; who does not fight has already lost!
