Tahira Najmunisaa wants to improve her time in Ironman Desaru Coast

KOTA TINGGI - National duathlon athlete Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid has not placed any lofty targets for tomorrow’s Ironman 70.3 Desaru Coast competition here, but merely wants to improve her time.

Tahira Najmunisaa, 34, views the upcoming race as more challenging as she has had to divide her time training for the Ironman 70.3 and the recent 2023 South East Asian (Sea) Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The mother of four said that although she finished sixth with a time of 1:07:37s at the Sea Games, it would not dampen her spirits for the Ironman competition.

"The Ironman competition is different as it is hotter than last year, but the weather in Cambodia was certainly hotter and I will put that experience to good use to prepare for tomorrow.

"Although I’m a bit tired as I’ve just come back from Cambodia, but I’m injury-free so that makes me pumped up for the contest in Desaru Coast,” she said here today.

Meanwhile, national athlete Chong Yoong Thiang, 27, managed to defend his title in the 5150 triathlon at Desaru Coast today.

"I didn’t expect to be able to win this year as it has been quite hot. I am happy to complete the 1.5-kilometre (km) swim, cycling for 40 km, and running for 10 km,” he said.

The women’s 5150 triathlon was won by Leanne Szeto Slomo, 32, from Australia.

The Ironman 70.3 Desaru Coast is a sporting event involving swimming, cycling and running that is held for three days, beginning yesterday and will end tomorrow.

Besides the Ironman 70.3, three other categories are being contested, the Ironkids, 5150 Triathlon and Sprint Triathlon, with 1,256 participants from various countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, India, Australia, Japan and several European countries. - BERNAMA