This is how South Tyrol's triathlon jewel works

Euan De Nigro was athletically gifted from an early age, but began triathlon very late and purely by chance. "When I was 14, Noah Strobl from Albeins, a year younger than me, approached me on the school bus and persuaded me to come to the Brixen Swimming Club's triathlon training at the Acquarena. I was immediately enthusiastic about the sport. That didn't change when I learned that training sessions were held up to twice a day, six days a week. I was a bit surprised at first, but I stuck with it," De Nigro recalls.

His biggest problem was swimming. "Up until then, I'd attended maybe three swimming lessons. But I got into it surprisingly quickly. I felt comfortable in the other two disciplines right away. Fitness and endurance never caused me any problems," says the Eisacktal native, whose first coach was Manuela Ianesi.

Ice hockey, artistic gymnastics and athletics From an early age, De Nigro was multi-talented and extremely gifted in sports. No matter what sport he practiced, he was always among the best. At the age of five, he started playing ice hockey with the HC Falcons Brixen. After five years, he hung up his skates and switched to artistic gymnastics, which he finished five years later. In addition to triathlon, De Nigro also showcased his talent in cross-country running and middle-distance running.

De Nigro, whose athletics coach was Reinhold Rogen, was, among other things, national cross-country champion and two-time Italian vice-champion: On October 18, 2020, in Modena (U18) over 3.000 m in 8.39,87:8.35,35 minutes, he was only beaten by Riccardo Spanu (2023:20) and in 5.000 in Grosseto (U14.55,19) over 14.32,28 meters in XNUMX:XNUMX minutes, he was only beaten by Stefano Benzoni (XNUMX:XNUMX).

Euan De Nigro wants to go to Los Angeles. © bettinphotography / Social Media

On April 29, 2023, he completed the 1.500 m at a meeting in Bressanone in 3.46,92:20 minutes. The model athlete from Sarns thus missed the South Tyrolean U3.46,71 national record held by Lukas Rifesser from Bruneck (2005:21 from 100) by just 5/2021. On September 3.56,21, 18, De Nigro also narrowly missed Rifesser's U3.55,61 record (2003:5.000 from 28) with a time of 2023:14.35,53 minutes. On June 20, XNUMX, he ran an impressive XNUMX:XNUMX minutes in Zogno over XNUMX m. Two years ago, De Nigro competed in his last track competitions as a junior (UXNUMX) for the SG Eisacktal.

Running remains De Nigro's greatest strength. "Running is the most important of the three disciplines. If you manage not to lose too much time to the leaders during the swim and bike, you can still make up ground in the final run. But if you want to be at the top, you have to master all three disciplines," De Nigro asserts. The high level of the world elite is underscored by the 14th place finish of British Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee, who finished an excellent 2th in the London Marathon at the end of August this year in 11,08:14.

European Championships over the Olympic distance in Istanbul De Nigro is rarely seen in Sarns these days. He is currently completing an altitude training camp in Livigno with the Italian national team. "We are a small group of 16 athletes preparing for the European Championships over the Olympic distance (1,5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run). This will take place on August 30th and 31st in Istanbul," explains South Tyrol's current best triathlete, who already knows the course.

After all, there was a European Cup race in the Turkish capital a year ago. "But that didn't go as planned. I've long since put it behind me and am fully focused on the World Championship," assures De Nigro, who has set a top-8 finish as his goal at the end of the month.

Euan De Nigro in action. © Social Media

Just under a month ago, De Nigro climbed onto the podium twice at the U23 European Championships in Melilla, Spain, over the sprint distance. In the individual event, he finished third with a time of 750 minutes after swimming 19,2 meters, cycling 5 kilometers, and running 52.34 kilometers, behind Norwegian Sebastian Wernersen (52.19 minutes) and Frenchman Jules Rethoret (52.29). In the overall category, he took an excellent sixth place.

The 23 U2024 European Sprint Champion ("The shorter distances suit me better") crowned himself European Champion the following day with Italy in the mixed relay, along with his teammates Bianca Seregni, Carlotta Missaglia, and Alessio Crociani. The quartet won the gold medal in 1:34.06, ahead of the Netherlands (1:34.10) and Hungary (1:34.13), with De Nigro being the fastest of his team and the second-best athlete in the entire field.

Preparation in Spain The season's highlight will be at the end of October, when the World Championships take place in Wollongong, Australia. Afterward, De Nigro, who won the overall European Cup ranking in the general class and also in the U23 category a year ago, will compete in two World Cup competitions in South Korea and Japan.

Speaking of the World Cup: De Nigro competed in three World Cup events this year: He finished eleventh in London, seventh in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), and was disqualified in Lievin (France). On October 4, the giant, who is ranked number 2 in Italy behind Crociani and currently number 38 in the world, will compete in his home World Cup in Rome. The triathlon season ends at the end of November, before winter training begins after a two-week break.

De Nigro will once again compete in Girona, Spain. The city of 107.000 inhabitants in northeastern Catalonia has become the Sarns native's second home for almost two years. "Here in South Tyrol, the winters are too cold and too long. Girona is one of the best places to train. There are many triathletes and cyclists there," assures De Nigro.

He's part of a twelve-person international training group in Girona, which includes several top athletes such as Alessio Crociani and Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand from France. The coach is Belgian Glen Poleunis, who typically leads three training sessions a day. The training schedule amounts to more than 30 hours per week. De Nigro is a member of the Carabinieri's sports group and receives a salary. "Some sponsors, such as New Balance and the Italian Triathlon Federation, are helping me with financing. Although I've approached several potential South Tyrolean sponsors, I haven't been able to secure any financial support yet," the triathlete laments.

Mother played ice hockey He, like his two-year-younger sister Isla, owes his first name "Euan" to his mother. Stephanie May is from Scotland and once came to Val Gardena as an au pair, where she also played ice hockey.

De Nigro's father was also active in sports and tragically passed away five years ago. On June 17, 2020, Claudio De Nigro, a member of the Eisacktal Water Rescue Service, suddenly drifted away during an exercise in the Rienz River. The following day, the 55-year-old's lifeless body was recovered in the Rienz Gorge below Rodenegg Castle. “I get my strength and motivation from him.” Euan De Nigro on his dead father "That was a hard blow for me. My father was gone from one moment to the next. Sport gave me great support during that time. I dealt with the loss myself. Sport was my psychologist. Since then, my father has supported me every day from above. No matter where I am—during training or at a competition. I get my strength and motivation from him," says Euan De Nigro, who was 15 at the time.

He'll need this strength and motivation in three years: The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles: "They're in the back of my mind and are my big goal. I'll do everything I can to be there in Los Angeles."

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This is how South Tyrol's triathlon jewel works

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