Kochi, Kerala: Two Ernakulam natives – Niren Philip and Rone Philip, the father and son duo – have won the Iron Man title in Muscat, Oman. One of the rigorous events in the world, the Kerala expatriates created history winning the triathlon event held recently in the gulf country.

Hailing from Vyttila, Rone Philip claimed the championship in individual items while Niren Philip secured the title in the team  race. Both climbed the prestigious milestone in the triathlon event that saw over 1,000 competitors from across different parts of the world. The Triathlon, a multisport event consisting of swimming, cycling and running was organised by ‘Iron Man’ in association with World Triathlon Corporation.

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Rone Philip completed a 1.9 km swim in the deep sea, a 90 km cycling, and a 22 km running in time. The candidates need to complete this in only 8 hours and 30 Minutes without any interval to win the Iron Man title and that too, within the allocated times for each task. The 22-year-old Rone Philip completed all these tasks in around 7 hours, triumphing the prestigious crown.

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Rone’s father, Niren Philip, also finished 1.9 km of deep-sea swimming within the stipulated time period as part of the team. The other team members completed the cycling and run, taking the team to the title and hence making the father and son duo the winners. According to Niren Philip, age is not a barrier for any new initiatives as it is only the practices that one requires to claim such success.

Rone Philip, who participated in the Iron Man race for the first time, had devoted himself to the practice for the past four months. “More than physical strength, mental power matters in this game, and the presence of my father enhanced my vitality, helping me to conquer the title in my very first attempt,” said Rone Philip.