Competitive Spirit: 62-year-old Ayob Yahaya Takes on Three Children in Ironman 70.3 Langkawi
The Family Affair
Ayob Yahaya is 62, but he still has a competitive streak in him judging by his determination to take on his three children, who are in their 30s, in the Ironman 70.3 Langkawi tomorrow. Ayob, from Shah Alam and a fuel engineer, is confident that he and his three children – Arif Azraei, 30; Amira Alysa, 33, and Arif Ashraf, 35 – will be able to clock the best times en route to completing the three disciplines, namely swim 1.9 kilometres (km), cycle 90km and run 21.1km.
A Journey of Overcoming Fears
Ayob, who works as a fuel engineer, began joining the Ironman race by competing in the Ironman 70.3 in 2022. Initially, Amira Alysa supported him, and in 2023, his three kids joined Ironman 70.3 as a group. This year, he challenged them to compete individually, and even bought the bicycles for them. "This year, I challenged them to compete in Ironman 70.3 individually and I even bought the bicycles for them. So, we will see how things go tomorrow. They will probably be way faster than me when it comes to swimming and running, but I’ll probably be faster when it comes to cycling," he said.
Startled by his own journey, Ayob started competing in triathlons in 2021 after overcoming his fear of swimming in the open sea. "I started at quite an old age because of my fear of swimming in the open sea but, after a few tries, I managed to overcome my fear," he said.
The Sibling Challengers
Arif Ashraf, the eldest son, who is also a fuel engineer, said that he and his siblings joined Ironman 70.3 individually this year after their father threw down the gauntlet to them. "Our dad is old but he still completed the Ironman Malaysia race last year. So, if he can do it, why can’t we? So, we accepted his challenge… we are confident we can clock our best times," he said. The siblings are active in sports, but in different disciplines, with Arif loving running, Amira into weightlifting, and Arif’s into various sports. Since the Ironman race requires new skills, they trained and joined other championships first to prepare for the race.
The Big Day Ahead
A total of 1,800 athletes from over 50 countries will be competing in the 2024 Ironman 70.3 Langkawi and Ironman Malaysia today, with Ironman Malaysia participants having to swim 3.8km, cycle 180km, and run 42.2km.
Conclusion
As Ayob and his children take on the Ironman 70.3 Langkawi challenge, they are an inspiration to many, showing that age is just a number, and that determination and passion can overcome any obstacle. With their competitive spirits, they will surely push themselves to achieve their best, and may the best team win.
FAQs
Q: What is Ironman 70.3 Langkawi?
A: It is a triathlon event where participants must swim 1.9km, cycle 90km, and run 21.1km.
Q: How many countries will be participating in the event?
A: Over 50 countries will be participating in the 2024 Ironman 70.3 Langkawi and Ironman Malaysia.
Q: What are the disciplines involved in Ironman Malaysia?
A: Participants must swim 3.8km, cycle 180km, and run 42.2km.