Run for More: The Story of Manuel Eitel

What is „Run for More“?

Running is more than finish lines, rankings, or medals.

It’s about showing up – for yourself, your purpose, your passion – even when the odds are stacked against you.

Run for More is the latest campaign from Top4Running, spotlighting powerful and personal stories from our athlete community. Stories that go beyond times and podiums and dig into the WHY behind it all.

We kick off the campaign with an athlete whose journey is as real as it gets: Manuel Eitel.

Meet Manuel: German Decathlete, Fighter, and Storyteller

Manuel Eitel, born and raised in Ulm, Germany, started running at age 6 – influenced by his mother, Manuel quickly got pulled into the world of competitive athletics. His talent showed early. His work ethic, even more.

Despite his speed and versatility, early doubts kept him from being fully embraced by the system. But Manuel kept showing up, getting better, proving people wrong. At 18 he finally earned his place in the German national team.

Fast forward to today: With a personal best of 8,252 points, Manuel isn’t just one of Germany’s top decathletes – he ranks among the best in the world.

   

„You work for years to be ready for that one shot… and it slips away.“

2024 was set to be Manuel’s breakthrough year. He qualified for the Paris Olympics – the biggest opportunity of his career.

But just days before departure, COVID hit.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. And just like that, his Olympic dream was gone.

„Everything had been going right – I was smashing PBs, competing strong, feeling ready.

Then COVID came at the worst possible time. It broke me for a while.“

For any athlete, this would be devastating. But for a decathlete – someone trained to master ten events, mentally and physically – the blow runs even deeper.

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Finding Focus Through the Lens

For Manuel, photography isn’t just a hobby. It’s been a constant companion on his journey – a creative outlet that grew into a true passion.

„I’ve been interested in taking pictures for a long time. Once I got my hands on a real camera, I was hooked. It’s become a way for me to slow down, to observe, to capture moments that matter.“

From quiet training sessions to travel moments with teammates, the camera is always nearby. It’s more than a distraction – it’s part of his rhythm.

Why We’re Telling Manuel’s Story

In a world obsessed with highlight reels and medal counts, we rarely hear the stories of those who came close – but didn’t make it to the start line.

That’s why we chose Manuel to launch our Run for More series.

Because this campaign is about more than performance.

It’s about purpose. About finding strength beyond success.

About chasing what matters, even when nobody’s watching.

The Documentary Launches in 3 Days

On July 21st, we release the first film in our Run for More series – featuring Manuel’s journey, in his own words.

More Stories Coming Soon

Manuel’s story is just the beginning.
Stay tuned as we spotlight two more powerful voices in the Run for More series – each redefining what it means to run, to rise, and to keep moving forward.
Because in the end, we all run for something more.

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