Nihal Baig from Andhra Pradesh beat the tough hot and humid conditions of the day to win the 3rd edition of Goa Ironman 70.3 for the second year in a row with a timing of 04:32:05.
Coming in second in the men's category was L Biten Singh from Manipur with a timing of 04:39:24 and the third place went to Bishworjit Saikhom from Manipur with a time of 04:42:13.
Toni Snoxell of South Africa (05:09:10) came in first in the overall women's category followed by Tatiana Plyasunova from Czech Republic (05:12:50) and third was Timtim Sharma from Karnataka with a time of 05:23:33.
The top three relay teams were Team Arise Performance India with a time of 04:28:48, T.t B. S. Pioneer with a time of 04:40:21 and T. t B. S Warriors with a time of 04:55:44.
The race, which was flagged off at the Miramar beach by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in the early morning hours saw hundreds of triathletes from India and abroad put in their months of training to test to realise their dream of completing an Ironman race.
The race’s 30 top finishers qualified to compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship slated to take place in New Zealand.
The globally renowned race, featuring a gruelling combination of swimming, cycling, and running, is India's only international triathlon, attracting participants from around the world.
Athletes kicked off their journey with a 1.9-kilometre swim off the Miramar beach, followed by a challenging 90-kilometre bicycle ride and culminating in a demanding 21.1 kilometre run, starting from the Miramar circle.
The race, known for its relentless intensity, has a cut-off time of 8 hours and 30 minutes, with individual cut-off timings for each leg. Only those who complete all three sections within the stipulated time earn the coveted Ironman honour.
Athletes hailing from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana dominated the list of participants, highlighting the strong triathlon culture in these states. Over 150 women participated in the event, which also included a sizable number of participants from military service. Around 14 participants were above the age of 50 years.