André Schürrle cancels the triathlon in Roth – family reasons count!

André Schürrle cancels the triathlon in Roth – family reasons count!

Former professional soccer player and world champion André Schürrle will cancel his planned participation in the Challenge Roth triathlon on June 6, 2023. How Sports Illustrated Reportedly, there are family reasons behind this decision. Schürrle wants to take part in an important moment in his daughter's life, which is prima facie more important to him than the competition.

The 32-year-old athlete, who dedicated himself to endurance sports after his active career in 2020, nevertheless expressed his ambition to remain active in sport. He has already taken part in a half marathon in Berlin, which he finished with a time of 1:41:14 hours. His plans for the future include taking part in a long triathlon and an ultra marathon over 100 kilometers.

A big comeback from Challenge Roth

The Challenge Roth has long been considered one of the most important triathlon events in Germany. This year the event is expected to attract thousands of athletes and hundreds of volunteers, making the event a huge celebration of sport. Schürrle plans to take part in the Challenge Roth on July 6, 2025, as well Challenge Roth reported. This will be an exciting return for him and the organizing team is excited to see how he fares as a former professional footballer in this new sport.

Race director Felix Walchshöfer has already expressed his enthusiasm for Schürrle and emphasized that his participation will inspire both the triathlon community and football fans. Schürrle is known for his assist in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina and has celebrated numerous successes throughout his career.

Triathlon as a new challenge

After retiring from professional football, Schürrle dedicated himself to endurance sports. He also took part in a SwimRun and even tried extreme mountaineering. He sees these new challenges as an opportunity to push his limits both mentally and physically. Schürrle wants to “empty the tank” on competition days, as he put it himself.

Schürrle's sporting career is impressive: he played in 57 international matches for Germany, scored 22 goals and was part of the team that won the World Cup in 2014. His club career included stints with luminaries such as 1. FSV Mainz 05, Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea FC, VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund, with many trophies imaginable including the 2015 Premier League title with Chelsea and the 2017 DFB Cup with Dortmund.

Inspiration for the next generation

While André Schürrle prepares for the coming sporting challenges, also with regard to his children, the relationship between professional and amateur sports remains amazing. A great example of this connection is provided by triathlete Carolin Lehrieder, who took 5th place at the DATEV Challenge Roth in 2019 after having to reschedule at short notice. She describes her career as a constant search for better performance and more self-confidence, while at the same time reflecting on setbacks and their significance for personal development. Their successes motivate many athletes all over Germany to give their best, even in amateur sports. Triathlon Germany highlights this particularly.

Schürrle is living proof of the diverse paths that sporting careers can take. From the soccer fields of the World Cup back to the challenging world of triathlon - it remains exciting to see what we can expect from him next.