Gandhinagar: With Gujarat gearing up to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the state govt is seeking to build its sporting credentials well ahead of the mega event, lining up two globally popular endurance competitions — Hyrox and the full Ironman Triathlon.Hyrox, an indoor fitness race combining 8 km of running with eight functional workouts, will be held at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar from Nov 26 to 28, senior govt officials confirmed. The dates and venue for the Ironman Triathlon are expected to be finalised shortly, with officials indicating that the event could be held in the next few months.The two high-endurance events will be held in Gujarat for the first time. While Hyrox and Ironman competitions have already established a presence in some Indian cities, Gujarat has so far not hosted either event.“Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi, who also has charge of the sports department, has held a couple of meetings with organizers of the two events. The state government has assured all possible assistance to the organizers,” a senior govt official said.Hyrox follows a standardised format worldwide. Participants run 1 km, followed by one functional workout station, repeating the sequence eight times. The competition has emerged as a major fitness event in Western countries and is increasingly attracting fitness enthusiasts and young participants in India.The proposed Ironman event is expected to give Gujarat an additional boost as a destination for endurance and adventure sports. A full Ironman comprises a 3.8 km swim, a 180.2 km cycling leg and a 42.2 km marathon — a total distance of 226.2 km.The state govt has offered organisers several potential venues for the event, including the Dharoi dam area and the Narmada trail. A final decision on the venue is expected within a week, sources said.Officials said hosting such globally recognised endurance events would help create a stronger sporting ecosystem in the state and provide Gujarat with an opportunity to showcase its infrastructure and capabilities ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030.While endurance fitness competitions such as Hyrox and Ironman are still emerging in India, they have a strong following in Western countries, where large numbers of professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts participate in them.Govt sees the events as part of a broader effort to position Gujarat not just as a venue for major sporting competitions, but also as a destination for mass-participation fitness and endurance sports.
