KUALA LUMPUR – In a groundbreaking move towards gender equality, the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, is set to host the second edition of an all-women’s race this year.
This historic event signifies the remarkable progress women have made in the world of triathlon – a sport known for its demands on endurance, physical prowess, and mental fortitude.
Dr Au Yong Pui San, a sports and exercise medicine physician, emphasised that women are on par with men when it comes to competing in triathlons.
“Finishing times may favour male athletes but that in itself is the anatomical and physiological differences based on sex.
“Physiologically, both women and men can excel in any endurance sports with adequate and proper training.
“In the past decade, the popularity of triathlon has been on the rise, and so has female participation in this sport.
“I would like to think that this trend is due to more exposure to prominent female triathletes both local and international, and more female-friendly training environments,” said Dr Pui San, who works at the Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar in Seremban.
Dr Pui San, who was a 2014 Ironman finisher, also notes a rising trend among women – cycle-syncing their training to their menstrual cycle to optimise performance.
“A lot of women juggle work and triathlon training with the responsibility of family, household chores and childcare.
“This may contribute to intrinsic stressors that may affect her ability to recover well and take on high-quality training sessions.”
Jazmina Yean Abdullah, a 53-year-old competitor in the upcoming 2023 Ironman 70.3 to be held in Langkawi, sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate that age should never be a barrier to pursuing one’s dreams.
“I have always been a challenger in life as a career woman and a young widow, and I want to affirm that it is never too late to do anything in life.
“I needed to set the right role model for my two young teens. Joining Ironman has expanded my horizons and the best part is my kids were so supportive.
“I think some of the advantages for women over 50 to join a sport like triathlon is our wisdom, determination to succeed, and a strong, happy mind, body and soul,” Jazmina said.
Malaysia will host the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship for the very first time with the support of the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau in Langkawi on October 7.
Professional athletes will go head-to-head for a prize purse of US$75,000 (RM350,000) with some of the top triathletes from across the region to take on the 1.9km swim, 90km bicycle ride and 21.1km run. — September 25, 2023