Bhubaneswar: Rajesh Patil, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner, completed the 2024 IRONMAN Goa 70.3 event in Panaji, Goa, on Sunday becoming the first person among the officers of all India and state service in Odisha to participate in the event – a Triathlon challenge that comprises 1.9 km of swimming, 90 km of cycling, and 21.1 km of running one after another within the cut of point.
The fourth edition of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa was flagged off at Goa’s Miramar Beach by Goa minister Govind Gawde.
Since its inception, IRONMAN 70.3 Goa has attracted triathletes from over 57 countries, and the fourth edition welcomed participants from more than 75 towns and cities across the country. This year’s race also featured over 120 competitors from Central and state government services, with women making up 12-15 per cent of the athlete base.
Remarkably, over 60 per cent of this year’s participants are first-time competitors, underscoring the event’s significant role in expanding the triathlon community in India.
Many local residents who turned up to watch the IRONMAN challenge also shared their excitement and said that it was a welcome move that Goa government was giving platform to youngsters to partake in a highly competitive and challenging sporting event.
Additionally, he credited the Fit India initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the motivator to take up the challenge.
The IRONMAN 70.3 Goa event encourages and inspires GenNext to participate in the programme and adopt an active and healthy lifestyle. The FIT India Movement was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 29, 2019 with a motive to make fitness an integral part of daily lives. The mission of the movement is to bring about behavioural changes and make the citizens move towards a more physically active lifestyle.
