Daniela Ryf retires from triathlon
The Swiss triathlete Daniela Ryf, considered one of the best long-distance triathletes in history, says goodbye to professional triathlon after a brilliant career in which she has won five IRONMAN world titles.
The Swiss, who had already announced that this would be her last season at the beginning of the year, has been forced to end her career early due to a series of injuries.
Ryf, in an emotional video posted on Instagram, explained that, after months of pain in his hamstrings and problems with his tailbone, he was diagnosed with inflammation in his spinal cord.
Although this diagnosis has been a relief in some ways, it has been a hard blow for the triathlete, who has had to accept that her body can no longer compete at the highest level.
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“It has been a very hard process, and the most difficult thing has been accepting that I can no longer do what I did before. Now it all depends on how my body reacts,” Ryf commented.
Despite the uncertainty about her recovery, the Swiss has not sat idly by. “I have many projects in mind for next year. During these last few weeks, where I have only been able to train lightly, I have taken the opportunity to work on some of these projects,” she revealed.
Ryf has assured that she will continue to be involved in the sport, but in a different way, and is excited about the new opportunities that await her outside of professional triathlon.
“I've had many moments where I thought the smart thing would be to stop, but I wanted to make sure I had tried everything. “I am very grateful because, although it is the first time that I cannot compete due to an injury, my body has responded throughout my career,” stated the triathlete.
Ryf leaves an indelible legacy in triathlon, with five IRONMAN world titles, including four consecutive victories between 2015 and 2018.
