Closer than a Photo-finish – The Love Story of Nicola & Reto | A Game For Two

My name is Nicola Spirig and I won the gold medal
at the Olympics in London and the silver medal
at the Olympics in Rio four years later. I’m Reto Hug, European champion,
twice World Champion and three times
part of the Olympic games. My first competition
was outside of school, I was 16 and, to me, it was the start of
a long journey with triathlon. My uncle and my father
did triathlon for fun so, when I was ten years old, I thought I would
try triathlon as well and that was my first race. It happened
in a little town nearby and we swam in a little lake and there were lots of fish
in that lake. My main concern was that
the fish would bite my feet when I was swimming because I wasn’t used
to swimming in the open water. So, that was
a real challenge for me. My most emotional moment
in sports, I think, was definitely in London
at the Olympic Games 2012, when I won the gold medal. It’s just amazing to win
such a huge race and to stand on the podium and listen
to the national anthem. Nicola, as an athlete, she’s gifted that way. She doesn’t just have the body, she also has the mind
to be on a top level. My husband, Reto, he was also trying to qualify
for the Olympics in London. It would have been
his fourth Olympics and a nice end to his career. Unfortunately,
he didn’t qualify, even though it was very close. I am still extremely thankful that he could
put this disappointment for him behind him so quickly and support me
100% at the race, be there for me
and be happy for me when I had such a huge success. Reflecting on it, we both said it helped Nicola
win in London that I was not selected. For me, to be honest, it was a great feeling
to be that close. I could focus on Nicola
and help her until the end. If I had been
on the start line, it wouldn’t have been possible. I think Reto
is an amazing athlete. I was always looking up to him
as a junior. I think I had a good career, but I could have done more
in the beginning. I could have worked more hours, I always liked racing
more than training. My worst moment in my career
was when I broke my hand during the first race
of the season in 2016. It was only a few months
before the Olympics in Rio, so I didn’t know
if I could recover quickly enough to make it
to the Olympics. When Nicola broke her hand,
it was a difficult time for her but the way she was handling it was just perfect
and really professional. Looking back, I was surprised that she was taking it that
controlled, and not emotional, she looked at it
very professionally. Reto helped me a lot
when I broke my hand, he even helped me
tie my shoe laces when I couldn’t do that
in the beginning. And of course he was with
our son when I had to train, and he supported me all the way
on the way back to Rio. If I could change something
about Reto, it would probably be
that he is more on time. Especially in the beginning
of our relationship, he was always a bit late. Sometimes she gets lost
driving her car, even if she has been there
multiple times. She doesn’t know where to go and I don’t know
how that happens, but, yeah, if I could
change it, it would be nice. Reto is the tidy one. He cleans up more,
he puts things away more, so maybe that’s the reason
why he’s late sometimes. She puts stuff in my drawer and starts to squeeze
in everything, that’s something
I would change. I first met Reto
at some races. It was
the European Championships in Madeira, Portugal. I became
Junior European Champion and Reto became
Elite European Champion, so I was extremely impressed by him becoming the big
Elite European Champion. The first time I asked Nicola
on sort of a date was when we were in
a training camp in St Moritz and we went
to have dinner together. I don’t exactly remember
who gave the first kiss, if it was Reto or me. But, I mean, also, it needs
two persons, always, to kiss. It was me who gave her
the first kiss and, yeah, it was just amazing. Reto asked me to marry him
in a very nice hotel. We had a few days of holidays, and it was in the Italian part
of Switzerland. We enjoyed some time together
and we went out to eat pizza, and when we came back,
our room was all, like… ..there were roses
and nice candles. He proposed to me there,
which was very nice. I definitely think Nicola
has two sides – she has the focused
and serious side for sports and then there’s
the really nice, caring and loving family side that we as a family enjoy. Our son, Yannis, is now
three and a half years old, so still quite young. He likes to move, so he likes riding his bike
or running around, but we are just happy for him to find something
he really likes to do. It doesn’t need to be
triathlon at all, it doesn’t even
need to be sports, if he likes something,
like music, more. Of course he has seen
mommy’s doing the running, swimming and the biking, he also likes riding his bike
and likes being in the water and we will support him as long as he’s doing
something really with sense, that makes sense to him
and that he likes. This is a really, really
nice place. Yes. A very nice place. It’s actually your place
from the Olympics. Yeah. We married in the zoo. In the zoo, yes,
with all the animals and we had a lot of snow. Yeah, outside, but in the hall
it was very nice and warm, in the jungle hall. It reminded us
of our journeys and travels. And just the perfect way
we wanted. Yes. And now we have
a very cute little boy who is already
three and a half years old. And, soon, we’re going to have
a bigger family. A second baby, yes. He will be born
at the end of May, hopefully, and I think we are very lucky. We are really lucky to have this kind of life
and the whole family.