Today, we say goodbye to one of the greatest triathletes our sport has ever seen. Anne Haug, the German powerhouse and 2019 Ironman World Champion, announced her retirement from professional triathlon this morning at age 42. Though the news leaves fans heartbroken, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on an extraordinary career fueled by passion, perseverance, and a love for the sport that defined her every step.
Haug made her decision following her final race in Spain, after a stretch of health challenges. In an interview with Die Welt, she reflected, “I’ve always lived for my sport, but after the race in Spain, I know: I’ve reached the point where I’m ending my career.”
The Stride of a Champion
It’s fitting that one of Haug’s final and greatest moments came at Challenge Roth in 2024. She not only shattered the Iron-distance world record with a blistering 8:02:38 finish but did so in classic Anne fashion: calm, composed, flying.
Her effortless-looking stride – powerful yet elegant – carried her through a 2:38:52 maraton at 3:45/km pace. Haug’s performance that day was more than numbers – it was the embodiment of mastery. Her splits included a 4:27:58 bike and the fastest marathon ever run over the Iron distance. Only Laura Philipp has since edged that time – by 25 seconds – making Anne’s run still the second-fastest Iron-distance marathon ever.
Anne later reflected on that performance: “A dream which came true…maybe something like this will happen once in a life. It’s the highlight of my career.”
A Career Etched in Greatness
From the moment she arrived on the long-course scene, Haug proved she belonged with the very best. She competed in six Ironman World Championships and, aside from a mechanical DNF in 2024, never finished off the podium – a remarkable consistency on triathlon’s most demanding stage.
Her crowning achievement came in 2019, when she ran her way to victory in Kona, making the decisive pass on Lucy Charles-Barclay through the famed Natural Energy Lab, and became the first German woman to win the Ironman World Championship. That win was the centrepiece of a remarkable Kona legacy: bronze in 2018, gold in 2019, bronze again in 2022, and silver in 2023. She also secured a podium at the rescheduled 2021 Ironman World Championship in St. George, finishing third.
In 2023, she set the fastest women’s marathon ever recorded in Kona, clocking a 2:48:23 in punishing conditions – a record that still stands. It was a run marked by her trademark cadence: light, smooth, unwavering, and relentless, the kind of stride that could reel in the impossible.
Of course, that legendary Kona run was rivaled only by her performance at Roth in 2024, where she set a new Iron-distance marathon benchmark of 2:38:52 en route to the fastest full-distance finish of all time.
Since 2017, Anne raced 38 times across Ironman, Ironman 70.3, Challenge, PTO, and independent events. Of those 38 races, she finished on the podium 28 times – an astonishing 74 percent podium rate.
Her dominance was further reflected in topping the PTO World Rankings in both 2022 and 2023, affirming her position as one of the most consistent and formidable competitors in professional triathlon.
At the prestigious Sailfish Night of the Year awards in December 2023, Anne, alongside Jan Frodeno, was named one of the best German athletes – a title she also earned in 2021 – recognizing her sustained excellence and impact on the sport.
Her success wasn’t limited to long-course racing. Earlier in her career, Haug represented Germany at the 2012 Olympic Games, finishing 11th. That same year, she placed second overall in the ITU World Triathlon series, just behind Lisa Norden, and followed that with third overall in 2013 behind Jodie Stimpson and Non Stanford. She added another global medal to her resume in 2018, finishing third at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Across every format and era, Anne remained a master of preparation and execution. She wasn’t just there to compete – she was there to elevate the race itself.
“17 Years I Haven’t Had a Holiday”
To understand Anne Haug, it’s impossible to separate her achievements from the love she poured into her craft. A 2024 T100 documentary titled “17 years I haven’t had a holiday” captured her soul in ways a results sheet never could.
“I love the feeling after [a workout]…I mean it’s the best feeling ever if you have a really really hard session or something…after you’ve achieved it, it’s an absolutely amazing feeling. I think it’s the best feeling in life and that’s what I’m addicted to.”
“I think it’s just such a privilege to do [this] because I had a normal life before. I didn’t grow up like most of the other athletes. I had to fight [for this life for] a long time and now I’m just wanting to live it to the fullest.”
“17 years I never had a weekend or a holiday or whatever but it’s not a sacrifice for me because I chose it…I think it’s so amazing to see what’s possible. I think most people don’t trust their body or don’t trust how good they can be…they don’t [allow themselves] to dream and to go after their dream. And I think you shouldn’t be afraid of failing because if you’re afraid of failing more than you’re curious about what’s possible then you don’t even start and I think that’s a big mistake.”
Haug’s performances always bore the hallmark of an athlete deeply in love with the grind. Her path wasn’t predetermined. She built it, choice by choice, with a work ethic unmatched and an almost sacred respect for the sport. Her story wasn’t just about being fast, it was about being fearless. About letting yourself dream, and chasing that dream without hesitation.
A Farewell, But Not a Goodbye
Just last year at Challenge Roth, we witnessed Anne Haug at her absolute peak – defying limits, breaking records, and doing it all with the unshakable grace that defined her career. That world-record day was more than a race – it was a culmination of years of relentless dedication and quiet strength. But Roth was only part of the story. From her unforgettable Ironman World Championship win in Kona 2019 to her consistent podium performances on triathlon’s biggest stage, and her reign atop the PTO rankings, Anne has proved time and again that greatness isn’t a moment – it’s a mindset.
And now, as she steps away from professional racing, that final, soaring triumph in Roth stands as a lasting tribute to everything she stood for.
We, the fans, were lucky. We got to witness the journey. We saw the passion, the perseverance, the possibility. And through every finish line she crossed – Kona, Roth, and beyond – we celebrated not just a champion, but a legacy.
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