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I participated in the National League held at the Zurich City Triathlon. It was also the Swiss championship in the sprint distance (750m - 20k - 5k), my first triathlon at this short distance.

I finished in 3rd place overall and secured the title of vice Swiss champion in the U-23 category with a time of 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 30 seconds.

Despite facing numerous obstacles during the race that threatened to keep me away from the podium, I fought until the end, overcoming the challenges, and secured my place on the podium. Overall, it's a great effort!

The swimming start took place in the water. It was a bit chaotic; we had to wait for 5 minutes in the water, and I was freezing. The first 200 meters, I swam as fast as possible to break away from the pack, but as soon as I was in the lead, everyone swam over me, and I got crushed. It really slowed me down. Then I found my rhythm, caught up with the competitors, and felt very powerful in the second half of the swim. It was a valuable learning experience. I need to get used to these highly turbulent and aggressive mass starts to be able to swim at the front without getting overwhelmed by the crowd. I exited the water with a lead group of about ten girls.

On the bike, I found myself in this group of about 10 athletes. I spent a significant part leading the group on the bike and made several attempts to break away, but it didn't work. At least, I managed to tire out my competitors. Before the last turn of the bike course, I positioned myself at the front to dismount first. However, as soon as we got off the bike, the passage narrowed, and a competitor bumped into me from behind. I wasn't expecting it at all, and my bike went flying, and unfortunately, I fell. I got up as quickly as possible, but all the competitors had passed me, and I lost a good 30 seconds. I ran to the transition with a few seconds of panic, but I quickly composed myself. I had nothing to lose, and I was determined to catch up with each one of them. Now, it was all about the mental game.

ChatGPT So, I started the run far behind, and I hunted them down one by one. At the halfway point of the race, I saw the small lead group, and I gave it my all. I passed the third girl 500m before the finish line and sprinted to secure the 3rd place. I ran an amazing 5km, with the second half faster than the first, making a superb comeback.

After crossing the finish line, I was initially very frustrated, but then I felt immensely proud of my effort because I had given it my all despite the circumstances. I didn't let my fall destabilize me, and I fought until the end. Even though I fell, I did my best, and I am learning even more for the next time. I was fortunate to have the support and encouragement of my family and loved ones who came to cheer for me during the race.

Overall, I am pleased with my race, and it's thanks to my mental strength that I finished the race on the podium. I take away many positive aspects and valuable lessons from it. I still have significant room for improvement, and I know what aspects I can enhance next time.