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Athletes from Bahrain will be jetting off to Finland next week to compete against top tier triathletes in an intense Ironman 70.3 World Championship…which is particularly a dream come true for Dr Sager bin Salman Al Khalifa.
The well-known cyclist is thrilled to put his Ironman racing experience to the test on August 27 in the men’s category of the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, in Lahti, Finland.
“This is the first time I qualify and will participate in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship,” said the 43-year-old from Riffa, who is also the president of Bahrain Schools and Collegiate Athletics Association.
To qualify, athletes must compete in one of the Ironman 70.3 events held around the world and earn one of the coveted World Champs slots awarded to the top finishers in each age group.
The American University of Bahrain professor of management achieved his qualification last year in September during Ironman 70.3 Salalah, Oman.
“I never thought I will be part of the strongest one per cent in my age group, but I had to keep trying year after year and going from one age group to another,” he told GulfWeekly.
“I have dreamt of qualifying ever since I started participating in Ironman races 13 years ago, and about 30 races before.
“My focus in Finland is not about winning. I am already a winner because I have reached this level. I always like to learn new things and visit new places.”
And what an area to be visiting. Lahti, the gateway to the Finnish Lake District located less than an hour from Helsinki, is known for its vibrant urban city culture.
The event features a 1.93km ROKA swim course, a 90km FulGaz bike course and a 21.1km HOKA run course at different locations across the country such as Lake Vesijärvi, Teivaa Harbour, Sibelius Hall and through the small towns of Kärkölä and Hollola.
Other sights include Lahti Stadium, Salpausselkä ridge and the Sport and Fair Centre.
“I want to see what is out there in order to come back to Bahrain and apply something new to sports, if there is anything that can be done differently here,” said Dr Sager.
“It is great to participate in a mass event. Having roads closed for your cycling and running, wearing a number and cheered on by many - to me, this is more exciting than trying to get a position amongst the world’s best.”
He hopes to inspire people to enjoy living healthy and actively.
“I’d like to tell people Ironman events are one of the life goals they can aim to achieve,” he said.
Dr Sager hopped on the triathlon bandwagon after he was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 28 in 2008.
“I was living in America working on my PhD in political science, and without any notice, the symptoms of diabetes started showing up,” said the Citadel, Military College of South Carolina, graduate. He also was a diplomat in 2011 in the embassy in Washington as a media attaché.
“It turned my life around and I had to adjust life goals. But, diabetes became a blessing in disguise. Diabetes prevents a person from being too work-oriented and forces balance in our lives by being hard workers and active at the same time, while enjoying the positives and blessings on life itself.”
Dr Sager, who was the assistant under-secretary for youth centres and commissions in the Youth Affairs Ministry in 2016, will be joined in Finland by fellow Bahrain-based athletes Abdulaziz Salman, Mohamed Alqais and Olga Gorvat.
The women’s race is on August 26.
Dr Sager is also looking forward to Bahrain’s Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship that will be held on December 8.
“Everyone in the community is so excited and hyped up,” he said. “I can see the pools are back to being packed and so many bicycles on the weekends all because they want to participate in it. It is really the best investment we can ask for. It needs to always exist.”
For details, follow @saqeralkhalifa on Instagram.
