Pakistani triathletes Shahzada Asad, Jibran Jawaid complete international triathlon challenges

KARACHI: Two Pakistani triathletes completed challenging international triathlon events in China and Uzbekistan, with Pakistan Navy’s Lieutenant Shahzada Asad competing at IRONMAN 70.3 Dali and Jibran Jawaid taking part in Challenge Samarkand.

Carrying Pakistan's flag at IRONMAN 70.3 Dali in China, Shahzada Asad completed the 113-kilometre half-Ironman distance in a gun time of 6 hours, 30 minutes and 41 seconds.

Asad, also a member of Lahore-based Falcon Triathlon Club, completed the 1.9km swim in 40:57, the 90km bike leg in 2:59:08 and the 21.1km run in 2:30:16.

The Dali event featured a point-to-point swim, a largely flat cycling course along Erhai Lake and a run through the Dali Erhai Lake Ecology Landscape Corridor.

Meanwhile, Karachi-based Jibran Jawaid completed the Challenge Samarkand in Uzbekistan, covering a total distance of 109.4km in 5 hours, 25 minutes and 52 seconds, including transitions.

Member of Sea View Running Club, Jibran completed the 1.9km swim in 40:29, followed by 88.1km with 400m elevation gain cycling leg in 2:34:37 and the 21.5km run in 1:55:15.

The Challenge Samarkand cycling course took athletes through the historic and modern landscapes of Samarkand, while the four-lap run was held around the rowing canal at the Silk Road Samarkand complex.

The performances mark two separate international appearances by Pakistani triathletes, with both Shahzada Asad and Jibran Jawaid successfully completing their respective endurance challenges.