Rebecca Robisch is a German triathlete who recently returned to the sport after a 7-year hiatus. Read about how she rekindled her love for triathlon – and what’s up next.

I started triathlon at the age of 10, and showed a lot of promise from the beginning. I always had a lot of fun training, and I consistently improved. I had a strong training group with many guys around my age, and one of my main motivators was to be better than them! My parents and my coach recognized my talent and supported me very well. During my youth and junior years, I was able to accumulate many national and international titles. My main goal was always to compete in the Olympics, and this goal drove me to train very hard for many years.

After many ups and downs, I established myself in the triathlon elite in 2015 with several top 10 placements in the World Triathlon Series, and the dream of the 2016 Olympics seemed within reach. I was the top-ranked German triathlete in the Olympic rankings at that time. Unfortunately, despite this, the German triathlon association decided not to nominate me for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016. My dream was shattered, and I was so frustrated and demotivated that I quit the sport. At that point, I thought I would never do a triathlon again. Since sports are my passion, I sought new challenges and found fun again in mountain bike races, marathons, and trail runs.

It took time for me to process my shattered Olympic dream, and in 2023, the moment finally arrived. I had been going to Challenge Roth every year as a spectator or relay participant, and suddenly I had the desire to enter myself. I grew up in Roth and trained in the triathlon club here as a child. I used to watch the race every year when I was younger and admired the athletes so much. The energy alone makes for an amazing event – when the Challenge takes place, it's like a big party, and everyone is in the triathlon spirit.

Suddenly, the triathlon fever reignited in me, and I began training the three disciplines again. When I realized I was still competitive, after a 7-year hiatus, I did my first triathlon again. Since then, I've regained the joy and fun I had as a child and have the perfect environment for professional training. I won't return to Olympic triathlon, as I want to be independent of any national federation and completely free in my competition and training decisions.

My goal is to deliver a strong performance at Challenge Roth in 2024, and I'm preparing for it with several Challenge 70.3 events. My entire family is passionate about triathlon, and everyone is eagerly waiting for the day when I stand at the start line in Roth. I want to give something back to my hometown and the people who have supported me by participating in Challenge Roth, and fulfill my dream of crossing the finish line at the most beautiful triathlon event in the world.

As I'm starting as a professional in triathlon this year, I also need to be competitive on the bike course. The Argon 18 E-119 Tri+ is the perfect bike for me. I’ve never ridden a bike like this before – I feel that I can transfer my full power from the bike to the road. In terms of aerodynamics, the E-119 Tri+ is the best available right now. Additionally, it comes in smaller frame sizes, which is crucial for me. I am relatively small, and it's often challenging to find a TT bike that can be perfectly adjusted. I worked together with Radsport Buchstaller to fine-tune my position, and now I sit perfectly on my Argon 18.

I'm looking forward to the first race with my new bike. I can't say what comes next, but I'm definitely not finished yet.