By Saleh Fareed
JEDDAH – Twelve Saudi triathletes participated in Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship 2016 which took place in Bahrain recently.
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Saud Bin Turki Al-Faisal at the finish line
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The championship featured around 1,200 triathletes, including 60 pros. It comprised a 1.9km swim around the waters of Bahrain Bay at the Four Seasons Hotel, then a 90km cycle ride to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), bypassing many famous well-known landmarks on the way from Manama through the desert, before finishing with a 21.1km run from BIC to Al-Areen Wildlife Park and back to BIC to conclude the race.
The championship was held under the patronage of Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the crown prince, deputy supreme commander and first deputy prime minister.
Saudi participants had an impressive performance especially Saudi triathletes Adrak Alaquil and Saudi champ Saud Bin Turki Al-Faisal who ended his distance in a time of 5:52:34 hours and finished in 389th position, out of 1,200 triathletes.
Al-Faisal expressed his joy finishing among the top of the world saying: “Thank God the members of the Saudi team performed to the best of their ability. It was unexpected from them in a race considered one of the toughest endurance races in the world.”
He affirmed that it was a great achievement for the Saudi triathletes who financed their way to the championship - including training, travelling and accommodation fees - without any support from any Saudi sport organizations.
He pointed out that Saudi triathletes now simply don’t get the support they need and there are many athletes who have shown they have the potential to shine.
