Mario uses AE "Truly wireless" HA-ET90BT #2

In WTS Yokohama, 12 May 2018, Mario broke away from the pack to dominate in the running segment in which no one could catch him. After achieving this third straight win in Yokohama, he also took the leader’s position in the WTS series. Following his world champion victory in 2017,Mario has made a good start this season as well. In the field of triathlons, where speed requirements become more challenging every year, the world’s fastest athlete still shows unbeatable performance on his personal runs.

He told us the secret to managing the pressure of being the world’s fastest triathlete and for staying so motivated every single day. “I try to see pressure in a positive way. I don’t believe that it’s an external force, but more like something we force onto ourselves from within. It’s a reflection of what people expect of me… because they believe in me. Instead of fear, I can draw energy from all those expectations and use it in competition.　And when I feel exhausted or uninspired, I think about how lucky I am. I mean… I make my living travelling the world, doing what I love to do. I believe that’s what everyone wants. That’s what drives me.”

His JVC wireless headphones are his constant training partners. “I like them very much, because they fit snugly in my ears and have great sound quality,” says Mario. “That means I can focus on my fitness and concentrate on running while enjoying music.” He adds, “the design is also cool.” Mario notes that another upside of the headphones is their portability. “Triathletes travel a lot to competitions around the world,” he said. “So, the smaller and lighter the things we take with us are, the better. I find the HA-ET90BT to be the most compact version ever… That’s a great feature.”

His colour choice is yellow. “Because it’s easier to find in my bag,” he said. His headphones are often part of his training regimen. “Especially for my morning run,” he says. “They help me switch into running mode, so I can simply enjoy the run. Sometimes, I have an unmotivated day, but when I listen to up-tempo music and step into my shoes, I can get going... My favourite music? I listen to all kinds: pop, rock, dance... I favour music with a rhythmic beat.” “I don’t listen to music when I’m competing but I sometimes will before leaving my room – or after the race – to relax.” Mario connects his music to a GPS watch. “I make playlists to match various scenes or training regimens. Thanks to the headphones’ connectivity with my watch I enjoy more freedom of movement. I used to connect to a smartphone for music during workouts, but that would only work when I was on a treadmill. Now, I can take my music wherever I go.” “Of course I get exhausted sometimes, and don’t feel like doing anything. At such times, music is essential to switching me back on. Thanks to music, even the most gruelling workouts fly by.”