Panaji (Goa), Oct 26 (IANS): As the countdown to the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Goa reaches the final stretch, excitement is at its peak as nearly 1200 participants get ready to tackle this prestigious triathlon that will include athletes tackling the course, starting from Miramar Beach, and comprising 1.9 km of swimming, 90 km of cycling, and 21.1 km of running.
Since its inception, IRONMAN 70.3 Goa has attracted triathletes from over 57 countries, and this fourth edition also welcomes participants from more than 75 towns and cities across India. Among the notable athletes are double Olympian swimmer Sajan Prakash and Lok Sabha member Tejasvi Surya, both aiming to achieve their personal best efforts.
Tejasvi Surya, Founder & CEO Yoska and Race Director IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India, Deepak Raj and Race Ambassador and tennis legend Leander Paes will officially flag off the event early on Sunday morning.
Tejasvi Surya participated in the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Goa as part of a relay team, completing the 90 km cycling segment. This year, Tejasvi is taking on the full distance, competing individually against other triathletes. Meanwhile, Olympic swimmer Sajan Prakash will be participating in the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa relay on Sunday along with teammates Sirish Govardhan (cycling) and Soumya Rout (running).
"I've taken a 3-4 month break from the Olympic qualification till now and my friends approached me, asking if I can swim with them. We normally train about 5-6 kilometers per session and this is about 1.9 kilometers and I thought it would be a nice new challenge. Normally we have walls in the swimming pool, we turn, we push off, and this will be a little bit challenging when it comes to the open water current. It's a pretty decent mid-distance swim, so I'm excited to swim in the sea because it's not very usual for us," Sajan Prakash explained.
"I went and saw the arena and I think it's all perfectly done. I’m glad to know that it is safe since it's my first time swimming in the sea. Again, I am pretty excited for tomorrow and I have a feeling we will do well," he added.
Yasuo Suzuki, a 53-year-old realtor from Tokyo, expressed his excitement, saying, "I have participated in 14 IRONMAN 70.3 events so far, and this will be my 15th. This is the first time I am coming to Goa, and I heard that the weather this time of the year and the course are pretty good, so I thought it would make for a good experience. I am planning to finish in the top 45 positions and qualify for World Series races."
Percival O’Nazrit, a 42-year-old resident of Goa who is participating in his first IRONMAN event, said, "I started out weighing about 94 kg and decided to take up running as a hobby. And here I am, challenging myself to IRONMAN for the first time. Being from Goa, I always knew that IRONMAN 70.3 is held here, and there was this aspiration to participate. But I was not on the healthier side, so there was always that doubt if I would be able to do it. However, you always want to challenge yourself further.
"I am looking forward to seeing whether I can get this done. I feel pretty confident with the way this thing is set up, I think I'm in safe hands. The IRONMAN is a global event, and I think the way the setup is living up to that name," he said.
As India's largest triathlon event, this year’s race also features over 120 competitors from Central and State Government services, with women consistently making up 12-15% of the athlete base. Remarkably, over 60% of this year’s participants are first-time competitors, underscoring the event's significant role in expanding the triathlon community in India.
Additionally, the IRONKIDS race, catering to the 6 to 16-year-old age group, saw participation from over 600 young athletes this morning, making it one of the largest races in this category in India.