early times report
Tallinn, Estonia, Sept 5: Son of the soil, Sawan Nagpal, has successfully completed the prestigious Ironman Tallinn in Estonia, finishing the world’s toughest single-day endurance event in 11 hours, 48 minutes, and 18 seconds — well within the 17-hour cutoff.
The Ironman triathlon tests the limits of human endurance with a grueling combination of 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, and a 42.2 km full marathon run. Sawan stood out not only as the sole participant from J&K, but also by finishing among the 2nd Indians out of the 80 athletes from India who took part across the full and half Ironman categories.
A founding member of Iron Tribe J&K, the region’s only triathlon club, Sawan’s participation was uncertain until just two weeks before the event due to multiple visa rejections. Despite the challenges, he persevered and made it to Estonia to proudly represent his state and country.
The conditions in Tallinn proved tough. Having trained in hot and humid weather back home, Sawan had to adapt to cold and windy conditions, even facing body shivering during the marathon leg of the race. Reflecting on the journey, he shared:
“I couldn’t complete last year’s Ironman due to a bike crash.
This year was even more challenging as I had to go alone without my Iron Tribe teammates. Ironman is not just a physical test — it requires immense mental strength, discipline, and at least six months of hard training.”
Iron Tribe J&K athletes have now collectively achieved six full Ironman and six half Ironman finishes worldwide, paving the way for a growing triathlon culture in the region.
For J&K, Sawan’s achievement is not just a personal milestone but also an inspiration for young athletes to aim higher and embrace endurance sports at a global level.
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