Ironman 70.3 Goa: Unstoppable Belousov, Garrett win top honours

Panaji: The Garretts have been thinking about Ironman 70.3 Goa for a long time and finally made it happen this year.Tom Garrett and Ellie Garrett are experienced endurance athletes, who have competed for Great Britain in age group teams at both European and World Triathlon Championships.

So, it came as no surprise that the couple would be among the favourites for Ironman 70.3 in Goa on Sunday.Ellie, as expected, finished on top in the women’s category, while Tom – now a fulltime triathlon coach – was pleased with himself after finishing eighth overall, with an impressive timing in the event that involves a 1.9 km swim, 90 km cycling leg, and a 21.1 km run.“This is the hardest 70.3 I've ever done,” Ellie, a physiotherapist who has done three Ironman 70.3 world championships, told TOI after winning the women’s crown.

“Coming from UK, where the heat is obviously never 30 degrees, it was tough. The bike course was very hot, and that hill at the end takes your legs out.”The Garretts have completed over 30 half-distance and 10 full-distance Ironman races worldwide and chose to give their World Championship qualification slots a miss this year to experience the charm of competing in Goa.Tom, now a full-time triathlon coach, and Ellie, a physiotherapist who supports his training programs, said Ironman 70.3 Goa was one of their most memorable race experiences.

“We’ve heard so much about India and this race, but it never really fit into our calendar. We really wanted to experience Goa. It was one of the hardest 70.3s that we've done. The course is beautiful, (but) conditions are really hard. It's humid, so for those from Europe, it adds an extra challenge. That’s what these races are meant for. You have to overcome these difficulties and prove to yourself that you can do hard things.

”Konstantin Belousov came up with an impressive performance to dominate from start to finish and emerge as the men’s winner. The athlete from Uzbekistan finished with an overall time of 4:25:47, finishing comfortably ahead of Matthew Skaife (Great Britain, 4:31:45) and Michael Lehnig (Germany, 4:36:42).In the women’s category, Ellie (5:18.43) had a five-minute winning lead over India’s Timtim Sharma (5:23:27), while Lucy Blanchard finished third with a time of 5:32:04.The relay event saw a clean sweep for the Indian Air Force, with all three podium spots going to Air Force teams.Close to 1,300 triathletes from 31 countries took the plunge this season as crowd lined up along the path, particularly in Miramar, and cheered each participant. Among those who high-fived the athletes was chief minister Pramod Sawant, who flagged off the event in the morning, and race ambassador Saiyami Kher, the only Bollywood actress to have completed the Ironman.“The local support was unbelievable; kids giving high-fives, people cheering all the way. It makes a huge difference when you’re pushing yourself to the limit,” said Tom.ResultsMen: Konstantin Belousov (Uzbekistan), Matthew Skaife (United Kingdom), Michael Lehnig (Germany)Women: Ellie Garrett (United Kingdom), Timtim Sharma (India), Lucy Blanchard (United Kingdom) 5:32.04Relay: Air Force Team 3, Air Force Team 01, Airforce Team 3