olympic champion
Enormous discipline and a focus on the essentials brought Nicola Spirig the Olympic victory in London in 2012. Four years later, now a mother, founder of a foundation and initiator of the Nicola Spirig Kids Cup, the Zurich athlete succeeded in confirming her world-class level with Olympic silver in Rio.
In total, Nicola Spirig took part in five Olympic Games between 2004 and 2021. With the exception of her debut in Athens (19th place), she finished every Olympic race in the top 6 and also won a diploma with the mixed relay in 2021.
In addition, Nicola Spirig celebrated many other successes at all triathlon distances, in athletics as well as in duathlon and, as a seven-time European champion and multiple World Championship medalist, she repeatedly achieved major victories. Her long career was honored with awards such as “Swiss Sportswoman of the Year”, the “Lifetime Award” from the International Triathlon Federation as well as with her induction into the “Hall of Fame”.
You can find more successes and milestones under
«History».
Successes
Triathlon
Runner up Olympic Games 2016
Olympic Champion 2012
6 times European Champion (2009,2010,2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018)
Winner European Games 2015
Winner Ironman Cozumel 2014
Vice-World Champion and Team World Champion 2010
More: Junior European Champion, Junior World Champion, winner of multiple ITU, WTS and Half Ironman Races
Duathlon
1. Place World Championships U-23 2003
3. Place World Championships (Cat. Juniors) 2001
1. Place World Championships (Cat. Juniors) 2000
1. Place European Championships (Cat. Juniors) 1999
Athletics
2-times runner up at Zurich Marathon 2014 and 2015
Marathon European Championships in Zurich: 2:37:12
Multiple Swiss Champion in 10000m, 5’000m and 3000m
1. Place Swiss Championships 5000m (Cat. Juniors) 2001
1. Place Swiss Championships Cross 2001
2. Place European Championships Cross (Cat. Juniors) 2000
1. Place Swiss Championships 5000m (Cat. Juniors) 2000
2. Place European Championships Cross (Cat. Juniors) 1999
others
Global Triathlon Lifetime Award winner 2022
Athlete of the Year 2012
Athlete of the Year in Zurich 2008, 2010 and 2012
Newcomer of the Year 2001
CAREER
2022
Triathlon/Duathlon
3rd. Zurich Marathon
4th. Ironman 70.3 Gran Canaria
2nd. Ironman 70.3 Mallorca
1st. Grand Prix Bern
1st. Bern Triathlon
7:34:22 Sub8 Project Dekra Lausitzring
1st. Zurich City Triathlon
1st. Sempachersee Triathlon Nottwil
10th. PTO Canadian Open Edmonton
1st. Collins Cup Bratislava
1st. Triathlon Locarno
2nd. Greifenseelauf Uster
2021
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. 33:35 10 kilometers Belp
1st. Half Ironman Gran Canaria
1st. World Cup Lissabon/Portugal
2nd. Swiss Championships 10km Uster
4th. Super Sprint EM Kitzbühel, Austria
1st. 70.3 EM Walchsee, Austria
1st. Trans Vorarlberg Triathlon Vorarlberg, Austria
6th. Olympic Games Tokyo
7th. Olympic Games Tokyo, Mixed Team Relay
1st. Challenge Davos
1st. 70.3 Ironman Nizza
1st. Challenge Peguera Mallorca
2020
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. Triathlon National Swiss Championships
1st. Triathlon Uster
1st. Tägi Tri
1st. Duathlon National Swiss Championships
2nd World Cup
3rd. Halbmarathon National Swiss Championships
10th. PTO World Championships
Athletics
5th. 5000m National Swiss Championships Athletics
9:37:31 3000m Athletics Meeting
2019
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. St.Moritz Duathlon
1st. 5150 Zurich Triathlon Olympic Distance
1st. Uri Triathlon
4th. Worldcup Miyazaki/Japan
5th. Worldcup Tongyeong/South Korea
8th. ITU World Triathlon Series Hamburg
10th. ITU Worldchampionships Lausanne
2018
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. ETU Triathlon European Championships, Glasgow
1st. Triathlon Swiss Championships, Uri
1st. St. Moritz Triathlon/Duathlon, St. Moritz
1st. Berner Triathlon, Münchenbuchsee
1st. Duathlon Swiss Championships, Zofingen
4th. ITU World Triathlon Series, Hamburg
6th. Mixed Team Relay, Nottingham
8th. ITU Mixed Relay Team Championships, Hamburg
Athletics
1st. 1500m Pfingstmeeting, Zofingen
2nd. International Womens Run Bern
2017
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. St. Moritz Triathlon
1st. Locarno Triathlon
13th. WTS Final Rotterdam (international comeback after the birth of Malea)
3rd. Super League Triathlon, Jersey
2016
Triathlon/Duathlon
2nd. Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1st. 70.3 Ironman Haugesund, Norway
1st. 70.3 Ironman Pescara, Italy
2nd. 70.3 Ironman Mallorca, Spain
1st. Swiss Championships Olympic Distance Zug
1st. Swiss Championships Sprint Distance Sempach
1st. Pro-Race Stettfurt
1st. 5150 Zürich Triathlon
1st. St. Moritz Triathlon and Duathlon
Athletics
1st. 3000m Langenthal, 9:20.19
3000m Jona Personal Best, 9:07.49
3000m Langenthal Personal Best, 9:07.48
2015
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. European Championships, Geneva
1st. European Games Baku – Olympiastartplatz Rio 2016
3rd. ITU World Serie Cape Town, South Africa
5th. ITU World Serie Stockholm, Sweden
2nd. 70.3 Ironman Österreich St. Pölten , Austria
2nd. European Championships Team, Geneva
1st. Triathlon Frauenfeld
1st. Triathlon Sempach
Athletics
2nd. Zürich Marathon, 2:46:09
3000m Langenthal, 9:23.67
2014
Triathlon/Duathlon
1st. European Championships Triathlon Kitzbühel, Austria
1st. ITU World Series Cozumel, Mexiko
1st. ITU World Series Cartagena, Colombia
1st. Ironman Cozumel, Mexico
3rd. 70.3 Ironman Switzerland Rapperswil
1st. Half-Ironman Locarno
1st. Duathlon Swiss Championships Zofingen
Athletics
24th. Marathon European Championships Zurich, 2:37:12
13th. 5000m Athletics Lucerne, 15:54:00
1st. 5000m Swiss Championships Frauenfeld, 16:18:96
1st. 10000m Swiss Championships Uster, 34:01:00
2nd. Marathon Swiss Championships Zurich, 2:42:52
2nd. 10-km Street run Swiss Championships Saxon, 34:28:08
2nd. Cross Swiss Championships Zurich
2nd. Int. Greifenseelauf half marathon, 1:15:51
2013
1st. World Serie Cozumel, Mexico
1st. Triathlon Lausanne
1st. Triathlon Locarno
2nd. Swiss Championships halfmarathon Uster
2012
Olympic Champion London 2012
1st. European Championships Eilat, Israel
1st. World Triathlon Series Kitzbühel, Austria
1st. World Triathlon Series Madrid, Spain
5th. World Triathlon Series Sydney, Australia
2nd. Weltcup Mooloolaba, Australia
1st. 70.3 Ironman Rapperswil
1st. 70.3 Ironman Antwerpen, The Netherlands
1st. 5150 Zürich
1st. Swiss Championships Duathlon Zofingen
1st. 5000m Swiss Championships, Bern
1st. 3000m Swiss Championships, Bern
2011
2nd. Team World Championships, Lausanne
8th. World Series, London
12th. World Series, Hamburg
16th. Sprint World Championships, Lausanne
20th. World Series Final, Beijing
25th. World Series, Yokohama
1st. Swiss Championships Uster
1st. 5150-Series, Zürich
1st. Triathlon, Alpe d’Huez
2nd. Garmin Triathlon, Barcelona
2010
2nd. World Championships overall ranking
3rd. World Series Final, Budapest
1st. Team-WC, Lausanne
1st. European Championships Athlone, Ireland
1st. World Serie in Madrid, Spain
2nd. World Serie in London, Great Britain
4th. World Serie in Seoul, Korea
1st. Swiss Championships, Nyon
1st. Swiss Championships Duathlon Zofingen
1st. 10000m Street Swiss Championships, Payerne
2009
1st. European Championships in Holten, The Netherlands
1st. World Serie, London
2nd. World Serie in Kitzbühel, Austria
1st. Swiss Championships, Lausanne
1st. overall rankingSwiss Triathlon Circuit
1st. Triathlon Alpe d’Huez, France
1st. Swiss Triathlon Circuit, Nyon
1st. Duathlon Swiss Championships
1st. 5000m Swiss Championships
1st. 3000m Indoor Swiss Championships
1st. Cross Swiss Championships
2008
6th. Olympic Games Peking, China
4th. European Championships Lissabon, Portugal
1st. World Serie Kitzbühel, Austria
6th. World Serie Ishigaki, Japan
6th. World Serie Tongyeong, Korea
6th. World Serie Lorient, France
1st. Ironman 70.3, Monaco
2nd. Ironman 70.3, Rapperswil
1st. Swiss Championships Lausanne
1st. VW-Circuit Sempach
1st. VW-Circuit Zug
2007
3rd. European Championships Kopenhagen, Denmark
1st. World Serie Eilat, Israel
5th. World Serie Richards Bay, South Africa
6th. World Serie Kitzbühel , Austria
6th. World Serie Ishigaki, Japan
6th. World Serie Rhodos, Greece
7th. World Serie Peking, China
8th. World Serie Lissabon, Portugal
10th. World Serie Salford, Great Britain
17th. World Serie Mooloolaba, Australia
6th. World Serie overall ranking 2007
19. World ChampionshpsHamburg, Germany
1st. Ironman 70.3 Rapperswil
1st. VW-Circuit Zug
1st. VW-Circuit Nyon
2nd. Swiss Championships, Geneva
1st. VW-Circuit overall ranking 2007
2006
European Championships Autun, France
2nd. European Championships Teamwettkampf Autun, France
8. World Series Richards Bay, South Africa
12nd. World Series New Plymouth, New Zealand
17. World Series Cancun, Mexico
17. World Series Madrid, Spain
1st. Swiss Championships Duathlon
1st. VW-Circuit Zürich
2nd. VW-Circuit Nyon
2nd. VW-Circuit Zug
2nd. VW-Circuit Uster
1st. Triathlon Stettfurt
2005
World Championships U-23 Gamagori
2nd. European Championships U-23 Sofia
12nd. European Championships Lausanne
11st. World Series Madrid, Spain
12nd. World Series Salford, Great Britain
32nd. World Series Beijing, China
1st. VW-Circuit Murten
1st. VW-Circuit Vallé de Joux
3. VW-Circuit Zug
2004
Olympic Games Athens
14. European Championships Valencia
14. World Serie Ishigaki, Japan
11st. World Serie Mazatlan, Mexiko
13. World Serie Salford, Great Britain
6. Australian Championships Mooloolaba
2003
12nd. European Championships
32nd. World Championships
2002
World Championships U-23
2nd. European Championships Team
1st. Swiss Championships
2001
1st. World Championships*
2nd. European Championships*
1st. Credit Suisse Circuit overall ranking
2000
World Championships*
1st. Team European Championships
1st. European Cup overall ranking
1999
2nd. World Championships*
1st. European Championships*
1993-1999
National Swiss Champion in Age Category Each Year*
* = Cat. Juniors
