After 26 years of competition, Spanish triathlete Javier Gómez Noya revealed on Wednesday that he will retire from triathlon at the conclusion of the season. “I think it’s time to take a step back. I’ve had a career that I could never have imagined in my dreams,” he posted on social media.
Gómez Noya realized this past summer that he could no longer maintain the rigorous pace and monastic living demanded by such a sport. “Even though it’s never an easy choice, I know it’s the right one,” he said, considering his professional background. Before the year finishes, he said he hoped to participate in “one or two more races,” but he made it clear that they wouldn’t be “at the highest level.”
For him, this season has presented some really difficult challenges. He detailed the personal hardships that have impacted his performance, saying, “I fell ill just before Miami, my mother passed away when I was already in Singapore, and different injuries prevented me from competing in London or performing well in San Francisco.”
“I am extremely appreciative that the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) granted me the chance to participate in the T100 this year. during whatever reason, I was unable to perform to the best of my abilities during these occasions, despite my best efforts. It is now appropriate to ease up a little.
Gómez Noya, who was reared in Pontevedra and was born in Basel 41 years ago, has dominated the sport ever since he began competing. Among his many accomplishments are the five world titles he won in 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015Furthermore, he has had success in long-distance events, winning gold in triathlon relays and long-distance world championships. He has even gone on to compete in Ironman 70.3 and Xterra races. He also won four European Championships in 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2016. His many titles attest to his reputation as one of the greatest triathletes of all time. For his services to athletics, he was awarded the 2013 Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit and the 2016 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports.His Olympic accomplishments include a fourth-place result in Beijing 2008 and a silver medal at the London 2012 Games.
Gómez Noya plans to continue competing in triathlons in the future, albeit less intensely. He said, “I’ll keep practicing this amazing sport, but with a little less intensity and stress,” and he also thanked his supporters from the bottom of his heart: “It’s been an incredible journey; thank you all for your support over the years!”
