A young man kept fighting death-like fatigue for 16 hours… When Nandil Sarma reached the finish line after a 226KM long challenge of sea, bicycle and marathon, the whole of Assam was filled with pride. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s son proved that passion and discipline know no age by completing Ironman Vietnam.
Himanta Biswa Sarma Son: High waves of the sea, scorching roads and body breaking due to fatigue… but 21 year old Nandil Sarma was not going to stop. In Ironman Vietnam, which is counted among the toughest endurance races in the world, held in Da Nang city of Vietnam, he achieved what thousands of athletes dream of accomplishing. After struggling continuously for about 16 hours, Nandil crossed the finish line and at that moment his name came into discussion. This achievement was not just a sporting victory, but became a story of discipline, mental strength and achieving the seemingly impossible goal.
Who is Nandil Sarma?
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is often in the news for his tough politics and tough decisions, but this time it is not his politics but his 21-year-old son Nandil Sarma who is making headlines. Nandil has accomplished such a feat across the seven seas on the soil of Vietnam, which is counted among the most cruel and tiring sports events in the world. Nandil Sarma is the son of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Presently he is in his final year of law studies at National Law School of India University. It was not easy to prepare for a difficult event like Ironman amidst the huge pressure of studies, but Nandil achieved this milestone in just seven to eight months of training. Interestingly, he had earlier completed the Ironman 70.3 race in Bahrain. That’s when he decided to complete the entire Ironman challenge before graduation. Now he fulfilled his dream in time. He has now accomplished that goal in time, as he prepared for the entire Ironman Challenge in just seven to eight months.
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That dreadful journey of 16 hours: When fatigue melted in front of human passion
When the first rays of morning fell on Vietnam’s coastal city Da Nang on May 10, no one had any idea that a 21-year-old youth from India was standing on the threshold of writing history. ‘Ironman’ is no ordinary race; This is a mega-challenge to be completed continuously in a single day, without any breaks. Nandil Sarma spent almost 16 hours to complete this race, the ultimate test of his physical and mental limits.
This harrowing journey included:
- 3.8 kilometers of dangerous open-water swimming.
- Back-breaking cycling of 180 kilometers.
- A full leg numbing marathon race of 42.2 kilometres.
It is not possible for a common man to complete these three stages one after the other, without any rest. When the last leg of the marathon started, his body was completely broken, but Nandil’s mental strength did not let him stop and he died after crossing the finish line.
After all, what is Ironman Vietnam?
Taking place in the coastal city of Da Nang, Ironman Vietnam is one of the region’s largest long-distance endurance races and a major event to qualify for the prestigious Ironman World Championship. It is counted among the toughest one-day sports events in the world. In this, the participants have to complete three consecutive stages without stopping – 3.8 kilometers of open-water swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and finally a 42.2 kilometers of full marathon i.e. a total of more than 226 kilometers of physical and mental test which is done continuously without any break.
“My chest swelled with pride” – a heart-touching message from an emotional father.
As Nandil crossed the finish line in Vietnam, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma knew no bounds. Expressing his feelings on social media platform After this post of the Chief Minister, there has been a flood of congratulations from all over Assam and the country. People are appreciating that despite belonging to a VIP family and studying in the toughest law university of the country, the simplicity, dedication and discipline with which Nandil has disciplined himself is a great example for today’s youth. The young athlete, who is set to complete his law degree next year, has proved that no challenge is too big if the intentions are strong.
Now what next?
Nandil will complete his law degree next year, but after Ironman Vietnam, he has now become known not only as the son of a Chief Minister, but as a young athlete who won one of the toughest challenges in the world with determination, discipline and mental strength.