JEDDAH — SriLankan Airlines will be the official airline partner of the forthcoming So Sri Lanka Ironman 70.3 event scheduled to take place in Colombo on Feb. 24. The event is one of the largest participation sports platforms in the world and is expected to be a grueling contest with a 1.9 kilometer swim followed by a 90.1 kilometer bike and ending in a 21.1 kilometer run.

Annually over 250,000 athletes participate representing more than 200 countries at 130 events globally and the numbers have been growing since the event’s inception 39 years ago. Last year’s event attracted over 2,000 sportsmen, accompanied by accompanying sports travelers, their families and friends.

In addition, a vast entourage of media also attended the event from around the world and in addition to covering the event, enjoyed a uniquely Sri Lankan experience. SriLankan Airlines also aligns with the concept of health and wellness by embracing an active life style.

SriLankan Airlines participation as the official airline partner of the event is designed to promote Sri Lankan as a preferred host venue for international sporting events and by positioning Colombo as the destination of choice for iconic sporting events.

“SriLankan Airlines is privileged to be part of So Sri Lanka Ironman 70.3 which we envisage to be an ideal platform to promote destination Sri Lanka among discerning travelers. This also complements our endeavor of promoting environmentally friendly events where the country’s natural terrain is used as the venue, thereby preventing the environmental impact of putting up settings. This also gives the touring athletes the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque beauty of the country. We, at SriLankan, wish the athletes best of luck and we hope they enjoy this wonderful experience,” said Saminda Perera, General Manager Marketing, Sri Lankan airlines.

In addition to attracting top triathletes from around the world, the event generates global media exposure across broadcast media, sports channels and print and online media with 15 billion media impressions annually and the series of events around the world attract over 6 million spectators. — SG