KOTA TINGGI - Little Hannah Zahra Mat Zainizam's two-year wait to compete in the Iron Kids paid off after she emerged as the champion in the girls category, here, yesterday.
The newly-turned 10-year-old Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Penawar 2 student said the last time she participated in Iron Kids was in 2019 in Langkawi and came in fifth in the event.
The eldest of two siblings said she prepared for three months to face the Iron Kids and set aside time to practice every time she came home from school.
"After school I focused on training for running and cycling in the evenings and if I had free time I trained for swimming.
"I feel very proud (because) this is the first time I got number one, the last time I joined the Iron Kids in 2019 I got number five," she told a press conference after the Iron Kids.
Describing the Iron Kids as very challenging, she said she did not get "cold feet" and would continue to participate in the Iron Kids in the future.
The Iron Kids was not held last year and 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, male participant Ikram Shrudin Johari, 10, said he did not expect to finish in fifth place despite it being his first time participating in the Iron Kids.
"Satisfied because I was among the top five, I can say that all events in the Iron Kids are challenging.
"But the most challenging part was when I used up my energy to swim and cycle, after that I felt very tired when running but thankfully still got to be in the top five," said the Hidayah Islam Primary School pupil.
A total of 122 children aged seven to 10 from 10 countries competed in the Iron Kids yesterday, which was the opener for the Iron Man 70.3 Desaru Coast.
Participants in the boys and girls categories were involved in a 100-metre swim, four-kilometre cycling race and a 1.3-kilometre run.
The Iron Kids received a rousing response with parents seen giving solid support and words of encouragement and also running alongside their children.
The 5150 Desaru Coast and Desaru Coast Sprint Triathlon events start today and will culminate with the Iron Man 70.3 Desaru Coast tomorrow. - BERNAMA