Young Keralite makes it big in WTC triathlon

Ahmed Zachariah Faizal from Kozhikode stole many hearts when he finished the Ironman 70.3 triathlon held in Rapperswil-Jona near Zurich in good time last week.

A young Keralite has made it big in a gruelling triathlon organised by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) in Switzerland. Ahmed Zachariah Faizal from Kozhikode stole many hearts when he finished the Ironman 70.3 triathlon held in Rapperswil-Jona near Zurich in good time last week.

Excitement was palpable in the words of his father Faizal Kottikollon, a Dubai-based Malayali philanthropist as he welcomed his son’s achievement. “It has been a creditable achievement. Zach was one of the three Indians who took part in the long race, and made us all proud,” said Mr. Kottikollon.

Endearingly called Zach, Ahmed had trained for six months for the Ironman 70.3 triathlon. He finished the 113-km event in six hours and 22 minutes. The WTC had set a cut-off time of 8 hours and 30 minutes for the event.

The Ironman 70.3 triathlon is one of the prestigious long races comprising three segments of swimming, biking and running. It encompasses a challenging 1.2 mile swim, a 56-mile bicycling, and a 13.1 mile run, covering a total distance of 70.3 miles (113 km).

Holding a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Surrey, London, Zach has been a regular face in several prestigious cross-country events. He has established a company of his own, PEEC Mobility.

Zach said that he felt proud to be among the 3,000 athletes from across the world to run in the Rapperswil-Jona Ironman event. He said most athletes had belonged to their 40s and 50s, and running along with them was a moment of pride for him.

His parents, Mr. Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal, were behind the transformation of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School (GVHSS) for Girls in Kozhikode. The involvement of the Shabana and Faizal Foundation had lifted the government school to higher standards, and even made several States, including Jammu and Kashmir, to adopt it as a model.