Andreas Christian Refsgaard Petz
Triathlon
DOB 29-02-1972
AGE OF DIAGNOSIS 29
YEARS WITH TEAM 4
I am swimming, biking and running to inspire people affected by diabetes and thereby show, that you still can pursue your goals and live a healthy lifestyle despite diabetes.
PROFILE
Danish triathlete Andreas Petz joined the Team Novo Nordisk ambassador program in 2021, but was not new to the team and is now in his fourth year with the TNN family.
The 51-year-old has been associated with the team for a few years and has competed in numerous Iron Man and triathlon events proudly wearing the TNN jersey including the 2015 World Iron-Man Championships in Hawaii.
When he was 29 years old Petz started to feel unusual and persistent fatigue during and after training sessions along with sudden weight loss. He decided to go and get checked out and subsequent doctor’s visits and tests resulted in a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes.
Deciding not to let this change hold him back Petz set about educating himself on how best to manage his diabetes.
Hearing about Team Novo Nordisk in 2012. The following year Petz decided to go and watch the Post Nord Denmark Rundt and ended up meeting team CEO and Co-Founder Phil Southerland. The meeting proved to be a twist of fate and a connection was formed, with Petz now a fully fledged member of the TNN family.
Petz ran the Copenhagen marathon when he was just 17 years old and a lifelong love of endurance events was formed. He works as an elementary school teacher and lives in Aabenraa, a town in Denmark close to the German border with his wife Bitten and two daughters, Astrid and Thea. An active and sports orientated family Petz also enjoys cooking and racing in and discovering new places.