{"id":13268,"date":"2022-04-06T16:32:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T14:32:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=96916"},"modified":"2022-04-06T17:28:12","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T15:28:12","slug":"nicola-spirig-background-career-highlights-quotes","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/nicola-spirig-background-career-highlights-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicola Spirig: Background, career highlights, quotes"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Nige Tassell\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 06 April 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

One of the most decorated female triathletes at standard distance, Switzerland\u2019s Nicola Spirig has a full-to-bursting trophy cabinet. Pride of place, of course, is that gold medal she won in dramatic circumstances in London back in 2012.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what else she\u2019s achieved in a spectacular career.<\/p>\n

Who is Nicola Spirig?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The daughter of PE teachers, Nicola Spirig undoubtedly has sporting genes. This she showed at a young age, winning triathlon\u2019s junior world championship more than 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

As a former track athlete with national titles to her name, the run is her forte; indeed, in 2014, right in the middle of her triathlon career, she even represented Switzerland in the marathon at the European Athletics Championship.<\/p>\n

That year she also won gold at Ironman Cozumel, the one and only time she\u2019s competed at full distance.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s at standard distance where Spirig has excelled \u2013 less so in the ITU World Triathlon Series and more so at one-off events and championships.<\/p>\n

Her crowning glory is inarguably the Olympic gold she won at London 2012 in one of the most enthralling triathlon races ever, when a photo-finish had to decide between herself and Sweden\u2019s Lisa Nord\u00e9n. A silver followed four years later in Rio.<\/p>\n

Alongside Olympic glory have been no fewer than six European elite titles. It\u2019s smaller wonder than many consider Spirig among the sport\u2019s all-time greats.<\/p>\n

All of these achievements would be more than enough for most, but Spirig is arguably the busiest triathlete around, finding time in her schedule to study for a law degree and have three children.<\/p>\n

And what\u2019s next? It\u2019s an attempt to write herself another page in the history books by becoming the first woman to ever complete a full-distance triathlon in under eight hours before she retires at the end of the 2022 season<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n