New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) Indian Army’s Major General VD Dogra has become the first General across the globe to complete the full ‘Ironman triathlon’ at Klagenfurt in Austria in 14 hours and 21 minutes.
The Ironman is an international triathlon consisting of three consecutive events 3.8 kms swimming, 180 kms cycling, 42.2 kms of running (a full marathon).
Under this competition, the participants required to complete the events in sequence within 17 hours to earn the title of 'Ironman'.
“For the last one year, Maj Gen Dogra has been training after office hours and on weekends. He is the only serving army officer from the Indian Army to have done a full Ironman and the only General across the globe to have done so,” said Indian Army spokesperson Col Aman Anand.
It is considered the toughest one day sporting event in the world.
Ironman Austria was held in the scenic town of Klagenfurt, Austria on July 1, 2018.
Over 3000 atheletes participated in the event.
Maj Gen VD Dogra, who is a Sword of Honour and Gold Medalist of the December 1981 batch, was commissioned in the Poona Horse which he also later went on to command, Col Anand added.
He also commanded an Armoured Brigade on the Western Front and an Infantry Division in a Strike Corps.
Currently, he is the DG Resettlement.
Maj Gen Dogra has been an avid sportsman all his life.
He started cycling about five years ago.
He cycled from Leh to Chandigarh, a distance of 800 kms, in 8 days.
Apart from this, he has also cycled from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer, Sela Pass to Bumla Pass in the Northeast and from Akhnoor to Rajouri.
UNI ASH SY 1753