Mediaeye News
Panaji: On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the fifth edition of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa as a shining example of the #FitIndia campaign, celebrating India’s growing enthusiasm for fitness.
PM Modi thanked hundreds of competitors in a tweet from his official X account, praising two BJP youth icons for finishing the demanding triathlon: Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.
“Glad to see increased participation by our youth in events like Ironman 70.3, which was held in Goa today. Such events contribute towards #FitIndia movement. Congratulations to everyone who took part. Delighted that two of our young party colleagues, Annamalai and Tejasvi Surya, are among those who have successfully completed the Ironman Triathlon,” PM Modi posted, tagging the duo.
After being shared at 3:17 PM IST, the tweet received over 20,000 likes and 600 replies in a matter of hours, highlighting PM Modi’s own advocacy for holistic wellbeing since he introduced #FitIndia in 2019.
Over 1,300 athletes from 31 countries participated in the event, which was started by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant from Miramar Beach. This is a 20% increase from the previous year. The athletes swam 1.9 kilometres in the Arabian Sea. After cycling 90 miles on Goa’s verdant coastal roads, competitors ran 21.1 km, making a total of 113 km under the scorching tropical sun.
In a stunning 4:25:47, Uzbekistan’s Konstantin Belousov won the men’s elite championship, while Ellie Garrett of the UK won the women’s in 4:58:32. A notable Indian trio, veterans of several IRONMANs, finished 140th overall among amateurs with a time of 6:07:06.
Surya became the first public representative to win the IRONMAN title twice here with his back-to-back victory—his second consecutive finish—clocking in at about 6:30 hours according to previous benchmarks.
“A strong finish to my second Ironman 70.3, made all the more special because I did it alongside my dear brother @annamalai_k,” Surya tweeted post-race, crediting PM Modi’s vision for inspiring “a new wave of health, discipline.”
The 40-year-old Annamalai, who underwent intense training while performing party duties, became the second Indian politician to win the title.
“From 62 nations across five editions, Goa’s IRONMAN is now Asia’s premier half-distance showcase,” said Race Director Deepak Raj, praising the expansion.
The event ambassador, actress Saiyami Kher, reinforced the idea, pointing out how these races combine adventure with a sense of community. PM Modi’s support expands the reach of #FitIndia by connecting grassroots yoga campaigns with elite endurance. As participants donned finisher jackets amid cheers, the Goa spectacle reinforced India’s global fitness narrative—one pedal stroke at a time.
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Photo-X/Narendra Modi
–IANS
