Gurugram lad Rajat picked for triathlon world championship

Rajat Gupta, a 24-year old athlete from Gurugram, has been selected to participate in the world championship of triathlon racing (18-24 age category), scheduled to be held in France in September this year.

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He has also been selected to participate in the European championship to be held in Germany in June this year.

Triathlon is a multi-sport race consisting of swimming, cycling and running over various distances.

Talking to The Tribune, Rajat said he stood third at the Asian Ironman Race championship held at Langkawi, Malaysia, in October 2024.

“I finished the race in 13 hours and 36 minutes,” he said. “I was given a slot in the upcoming world championship after winning the third position at the Asian event.”

Claiming that he is the first Indian to qualify for the world championship in the 18-24 age category, Rajat said he completed the Ironman race in 12 hours 32 minutes in Klagenfurt, Austria, in June 2024.

The Malaysian and Austrian championships earned him the number one triathlete ranking in India, and the 261th global ranking. Rajat said he has been competing in these races since 2021. Previously, he used to play table tennis at the national level, and was an ultrarunner.

He studied at Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK, where he completed his graduation in business and management.

He served as the captain and president of the Athletics, Cycling and Table Tennis teams — a position no other Indian had held in the institution’s 150-year history.

In September 2022, Rajat completed the world’s most challenging race, the Wales Ironman Race, in 14 hours in Wales, England.

He is the only Indian to have completed the race, known for its high-altitude terrain and unpredictable weather, so far.