"VAN" (Sports Desk - 26.10.2024) :: IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India Race Ambassador and tennis legend Leander Paes launched the IRONGRIT Campaign on Friday, in the countdown to 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Goa. This is India’s only IRONMAN event, scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 27 at Miramar. As part of the launch event, the official race jersey and finisher’s medal were unveiled in the presence of distinguished guests, including Race Ambassador and tennis legend Leander Paes, Deepak Raj, Founder & CEO Yoska and Race Director IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India, and Ganeshan V S, Director of Marketing, Herbalife India.
Yoska's IRONGRIT Campaign is intended to broaden the sport's appeal beyond the triathlete community, sharing inspirational stories of everyday individuals who have competed in IRONMAN races. The aim is to motivate fitness enthusiasts to believe they too can conquer the challenge.
With triathletes from over 57 countries thronging Goa since the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India's inception in 2019, Goa has grown in popularity as a preferred destination for international sporting events, particularly endurance races.
The fourth edition of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India will be India’s largest triathlon event and will witness close to 1200 participants being flagged off at the Miramar beach on Sunday.
This year, over 120 personnel from Central and State Government services will compete in the race, with women consistently making up 12-15% of the athlete base. Furthermore, participants from over 75 towns and cities across India will take part. Notably, over 60% of this year’s participants are first-time competitors, highlighting the event's role in expanding the triathlon community in India.
Rohan Khaunte, Goa’s Minister of Tourism; Information Technology; Printing and Stationary, highlighted the significance of hosting the race, stating, "Goa has always been a destination for many to unwind for years to come, now that focus shifts towards Goa as a destination of diverse experiences from exploring the hinterland, promoting regenerative practices, supporting the local economy and more. One of the major focus is our vision to elevate Goa's profile on the global sports stage and our partnership with IRONMAN 70.3 Goa India reflects exactly this vision. The Department of Tourism serves as the naming partner of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa further emphasizing the state's commitment to becoming a premier hub for sports tourism by showcasing the state’s natural beauty, hospitality, and world-class infrastructure through such events. This partnership represents the efforts made by the Department of Tourism towards creating an initiative that seamlessly blends tourism with fitness, adventure and wellness, as staying fit rests in physical, as well as mental attributes."
Race Ambassador and tennis legend, India's first individual medal winner at the Olympics, Leander Paes added, " I would like to thank Coach Deepak and the whole IRONMAN team, the Yoska team, for welcoming me on board as the brand ambassador, as the face of the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India. There are tremendous similarities between the preparation and training of an Olympian and the amount of hard work that goes into even completing an IRONMAN race. Only 0.0001% of the world's population get to stand on the Olympic podium and I also know completing an Ironman race means you're a champion already. It was only natural for me to come on board to inspire people of all different walks of life of all different ages.”
Deepak Raj, Founder & CEO Yoska, and Race Director IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India, emphasized the role Yoska has played in developing the triathlete community in India, stating, "At Yoska, we have been pioneering efforts to grow the triathlon community in India, introducing new cohorts to the sport through initiatives like 'Women in Sports' and 'Services Personnel in Sport.' IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, India is not just for elite athletes; it’s a platform where anyone with the right mindset and dedication can succeed. With the IRONGRIT campaign, we will broaden the appeal of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa."
Ganeshan V S, Director, Marketing, Herbalife India, expressed the brand’s excitement in supporting the event, “We are extremely excited to be part of this most enthralling race called IRONMAN 70.3. It's a milestone for us because it's the third year that we're associated with IRONMAN 70.3 Goa and the sport only grows year on year. We're also extremely thrilled that this year we're also going to be extending our association with IRONMAN 70.3 Goa till 2025. The journey has been fantastic, we've seen only the community of IRONMAN grow and with the initiatives that Yoska is launching, we only see this growing multifold.”
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