Aktuell

• von Cathrin Becker
• 08.09.2026

In his youth, Andreas Niedrig was addicted to drugs. Therapy became a turning point: He earned his high school diploma, trained to become an orthopedic technician, and discovered sports. His book *From Junkie to Ironman* chronicles his life story. After more than a decade among the international triathlon elite, he ended his active career in 2023. Today, he works as a motivational coach, speaker, and author.

On September 14, Niedrig will be a guest at the UDE Health Days. From 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., he will speak in the Glass Pavilion on the Essen campus on the topic “Who says life always has to be easy?!” We spoke with him in advance.

Mr. Niedrig, sports have played an important role in your eventful life. What do they mean to you?

At some point, I realized I had talent. I wanted to find out what I could achieve if I really gave it my all. That led to a professional sports career spanning more than 20 years. When I look back today, one insight stands out to me: Change rarely happens all at once. It’s a process. That’s why sports weren’t the starting point of my transformation, but rather a later part of my development and an opportunity to turn my abilities into something special.

Resilience is a term that comes up often. What does mental strength mean to you, specifically?

Resilience doesn’t just mean getting back on your feet after a crisis; it begins with prevention. It’s about recognizing stress early on, knowing your own limits, ensuring you have time to recover, nurturing good relationships, and learning to manage your thoughts and emotions. Resilience means building a foundation before a crisis strikes so you can better cope with crises. Mental strength doesn’t mean always being strong, but rather knowing yourself and your own resources and recognizing when it’s time for support, rest, or change. For me, resilience isn’t an emergency strategy, but a life skill that we can develop every day.

How do you manage to stay motivated even after setbacks?

When I know why I want to achieve something, I can get through even the toughest times. My own life has shown me that growth isn’t a straight line. There are steps forward and steps backward, successes and setbacks. From my time as a professional athlete, I know this: There are training days when everything clicks, and there are training days when you have to fight for every kilometer.

The Health Days are aimed at UDE employees. What message would you like to share with them?

My most important message is: Don’t forget about yourselves! We take care of our responsibilities, our families, our colleagues, and the expectations placed on us. In doing so, we sometimes forget the most important person in our lives: ourselves.

Especially in a work environment where performance and availability have often become taken for granted, we should keep asking ourselves: What do I actually need to ensure my long-term well-being? Self-care isn’t selfishness. It’s a prerequisite for being able to be there for others in the long run.

What are you most looking forward to during your visit to UDE?

To be completely honest: the people. I’m often asked, “What do you want to share with people?” My answer is: Not that much, really. Rather, I want to remind people of who they are and spark their curiosity about what may be the most important thing in our lives: ourselves.

I want to encourage people to get to know themselves anew time and again, to question themselves, and to consciously take charge of their own development. For me, this also includes continually reactivating and strengthening one’s self-awareness, self-worth, and self-confidence.

Further Information:
https://www.uni-due.de/2026-09-03-gesundheitstage-und-messe-an-der-ude
https://www.uni-due.de/pe/bgm-news.php?id=53