When Rupesh S. jumps into Lake Harku in the Estonian capital Tallinn at 6.30 a.m. on August 6, he will be aiming to become an ‘Ironman’ by the end of the day.
At 42, the dentist from the Palace ward in the Alappuzha municipality is set to compete in the annual Ironman Tallinn, a long-distance triathlon, where Dr. Rupesh will take part in a 2.4-mile (3.86-km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25-km) bicycle ride, and a 26.22-mile (42.2-km) run.
Considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world, Ironman Tallinn is one in a series of triathlons organised by the World Triathlon Corporation. Speaking from the Baltic state, Dr. Rupesh exuded confidence in finishing the triathlon within the time limit of 17 hours. “The weather here is slightly cold and windy. That said, I have prepared well for the event and hope all goes well on Saturday,” he says.
Prior to heading to Estonia, the doctor successfully completed Ironman 70.3 Bintan in Indonesia in 2019 and Ironman 70.3 in Dubai in March 2022. Ironman 70.3, also known as Half Ironman, consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bicycle ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Dr. Rupesh finished Ironman 70.3 Dubai with a time of 6:52:24. Tallin is his first full Ironman event.
He is the lone Keralite among 25 triathletes from across India who have registered for the event in Tallinn.
Dr. Rupesh, who never participated in a competitive swimming and athletics event during his school and college days, says he became an athlete by chance at the age of 34. “In 2014, I was selected as the captain of the Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences staff team for intercollegiate games. Among the events was a 5-km run. As no one from our team was ready to participate in the event, I myself ran the marathon and finished first. Later, I participated in a half marathon held in Kochi the same year followed by other events,” Mr. Rupesh says.
He turned to triathlon in 2018 where three disciplines -- swimming, cycling and running -- have to be completed in one go. “Though I did not participate in any events, I am used to riding a bicycle and swimming in backwaters since my childhood days. Nowadays, I practise six days a week from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. It is helping me to maintain physical fitness and be competitive,” says the dentist who runs a clinic in Alappuzha.
