Following my father’s example and pursuing an indescribable inner desire, I have since childhood imagined myself as being a husband to one wife. This dream became a reality on 15.09.2007 when I married Maili. Maili is my personal trainer, doctor, psychologist, secretary, pastor and physical therapist. There is no one else I turn to as much for advice. I am lucky she is smarter than me. Each one of my questions finds an intelligent answer, the most frequent of them: “You have to decide for yourself!”

We have three children: Jakob (born 2010), Ruuben (2015) and Lili (2018). As a father I believe: the more time I can spend with my children and my spouse, the stronger and more united we are as a family. The strength in our marriage comes from our mutual faith, which gives birth to a conviction that we are not alone in difficult times. Praying together, theological discussions and gatherings with fellow Christians have carried us through countless situations. Due to my profession we have had to travel together on numerous occasions. For example, all my children have accompanied me to training camps in the United States, Africa and Europe. Athletes are sometimes seen as people who must make many sacrifices to achieve their goals, and there’s truth to this statement. But one sacrifice that I am not willing to make is my family.