Spirig's international debut came in 2001 at the World Cup in Switzerland. She has represented Switzerland in multiple sports, including athletics and bobsleigh. In athletics, she competed in the marathon at the 2014 European Championships and won silver in the 10,000m at the Swiss national championships in 2021.

Her most memorable achievement is winning individual gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She also secured individual silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, becoming the first Swiss triathlete to win two Olympic medals.

Training and Coaching

Spirig trains under Brett Sutton, an Australian coach, since 2006. Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she trained with Swiss road cycling national coach Michael Albasini. To acclimatise to Tokyo's weather, she used various methods like swimming with a wetsuit and cycling in a sauna tent.

Injuries and Comebacks

Throughout her career, Spirig has faced several injuries. In July 2020, she broke her left arm but returned to competition after six weeks. In March 2015, she broke her left hand during a cycling accident but resumed training three weeks later. She also had stress fractures in her shin in 2004, 2006, and 2011.

Awards and Honours

Spirig has received numerous accolades. She was named European Triathlon Union Female Athlete of the Year in 2015 and Swiss Female Athlete of the Year in 2012. She also received the Sports Award from Zurich in 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Family and Personal Life

Nicola Spirig resides in Zurich with her husband Reto Hug, a former triathlete who competed for Switzerland at three Olympic Games. They have three children: Yannis (born 2013), Male (born 2017), and Alexis (born 2019). Spirig is multilingual, speaking English, French, and German.

Future Plans

In January 2021, Spirig announced her goal to complete an Ironman triathlon in under eight hours. This challenge aims to raise funds for the Pho3nix Foundation, which supports youth participation in sports. She considers this one of the toughest challenges of her career but hopes it will inspire others.

Other Activities

Since 2014, Spirig has been running the Nicola Spirig Kids Cup across Switzerland. This initiative is part of her foundation aimed at motivating children to take up triathlon by introducing them to the sport.

Nicola Spirig's career is marked by resilience and dedication. Her achievements continue to inspire many young athletes worldwide.