LANGKAWI: Estonia’s Siim-Erik Alamaa, 33, displayed remarkable endurance and determination as he claimed victory in the men’s IRONMAN Malaysia race on Saturday.
Alamaa crossed the finish line at Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa with a time of 9 hours, 8 minutes, and 40 seconds, emerging as the new champion of Malaysia’s premier endurance race.
His impressive performance, however, fell short of breaking the course record of 8:10:23 set last year by Brazil’s Fernando Toldi.
Visibly emotional at the finish line, Alamaa was awarded his medal by Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Iskandar Mohd Kaus.
“It’s unbelievable. I joined my first Ironman in August and trained consistently until late September,” he said.
“After that, I faced some personal challenges that affected my focus. I came here simply to give my best, hoping to finish in the top 10 or 15 — winning the overall title is truly beyond expectations.”
Germany’s Jan Seewald, 33, finished second with a time of 9:20:17, while Australia’s Aiden Cuff, 32, came third at 9:27:28.
In the women’s category, Britain’s Sally Porter, 33, clinched victory in 10:38:51, followed by France’s Alexandra Vano, 35, in 11:05:59, and fellow Briton Erin Thomson, 34, in third with 11:17:23.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Josh Ferris, 24, dominated the IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi men’s category, finishing in 3:46:56 to secure the title.
Denmark’s Jens Emil Sloth Nielson, 27, took second in 3:50:25, followed by Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk, 31, in 3:55:30.
In the women’s division, Switzerland’s Julie Derron, 29, triumphed with a time of 4:13:52, while Australia’s Natalie Van Coevorden, 32, and France’s Justine Guerard, 31, placed second and third with 4:18:11 and 4:22:17 respectively.
Both events were organised by World Endurance Malaysia Sdn Bhd (WEMSB).
The IRONMAN Malaysia race features three disciplines — a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, and a 42.2km marathon — while the IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi covers half those distances: a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle, and 21.1km run.
This year’s 10th edition saw 1,888 athletes from 66 countries competing for qualification slots at theWorld Championships in Kona, Hawaii, scheduled for Oct 10, next year.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
