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topicnews · September 6, 2024

World record in triathlon: 120 times the long distance – Deichmann’s incredible record

World record in triathlon: 120 times the long distance – Deichmann’s incredible record

Status: 06.09.2024 09:05 a.m.

Jonas Deichmann has set a world record in the district of Roth: 120 long-distance triathlons in a row. Every day he swims 3.8 kilometers, cycles 180 kilometers and runs 42.2 kilometers.

It was already dark when Jonas Deichmann ran through the finish gate of the Challenge Roth in Roth’s town garden on Thursday evening. For the 120th time. Many people came to Roth to cheer on the extreme athlete – and even more ran the last kilometer of his “Challenge 120” with him. “It’s unbelievable. This atmosphere here in Roth. It is rightly the home of triathlon,” says Deichmann.

“You have to want it unconditionally”

Jonas Deichmann has been on the move in the Roth district since the beginning of May. For 120 days he has been swimming 3.8 kilometers, cycling 180 kilometers and running 42.2 kilometers every day. That is not only a world record, but also a top performance for body and mind. “You have to want to do a project like this unconditionally. 100 percent. You have to get up every morning and see the meaning behind it,” explains Deichmann.

Exploring the limits of the body

Jonas Deichmann is an adventurer and extreme athlete. The “Challenge 120” is not his first adventurous project. The 37-year-old has cycled across the USA and run back again. Most recently, he did a triathlon around the world. Now 120 long-distance triathlons in the Roth district.

Deichmann doesn’t actually think that what he does is a little crazy. He does it because he can, he says. It’s not primarily about the record. He already has several of those. But the world record for the most long distances is still special for Deichmann. “Long distance is the supreme discipline in endurance sports,” he says.

Adventure runs in the family

Adventure runs in the family, says Deichmann in an interview with Blickpunkt Sport. His grandfather was a snake catcher in Africa. The Deichmanns’ family holidays were never in hotels, but rather with a tent on the beach, says Jonas’ father and manager, Sammy Deichmann.

After Jonas got his master’s degree in business administration, he started working in an office. But he didn’t stay at his desk for long. “Once you start doing that, you can’t sit in an office anymore,” says Sammy Deichmann.

No handshaking

For Jonas, the “Challenge 120” is his toughest challenge to date. “I’m pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” says Deichmann. He wouldn’t have mastered the challenge without his team. They took care of everything so he could concentrate purely on his athletic performance.

At the Deichmanns, everyone gets a friendly smile. Shaking hands and hugging were taboo throughout the entire project. The risk of Jonas Deichmann catching a cold was too great. And in fact, he only had to deal with serious cold symptoms once.

Deichmann the optimist

Jonas is an optimist. “It’s going to be great,” he says when he starts. “I’m fresh and alert,” you can hear him say. And instead of a marathon, he sets off for a “run.” Then it doesn’t sound so big. Deichmann is convinced that it works.

When Deichmann talks about these things, it sounds only natural and logical that he can manage such extreme challenges as 120 long-distance races. Deichmann knows himself, his body and his high performance capabilities. Deichmann is down-to-earth. He meets people on an equal level and manages to motivate them to do sport with his positive attitude. Even if for most of them it is not a long-distance triathlon.

New project already in mind

After the 120 long-distance triathlons, Jonas Deichmann is now taking a vacation. A book is due to be published in November. The title is “Because I can.” A documentary is also planned. Jonas Deichmann already has a new adventure in mind. The Deichmann team is not yet revealing what exactly it is. But it will definitely be another extraordinary and perhaps a little crazy project.

This is the European perspective at BR24.

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Source: Frankenschau aktuell 06.09.2024 – 17:30