Zurich: Ahmed Zachariah Faizal shines in Ironman 70.3 race with remarkable finish
Ahmed Zachariah Faizal, (Zach) a UAE-based Indian athlete, displayed an exceptional performance in the recent Ironman 70.3 triathlon race held in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. The grueling event, organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), encompasses a challenging course comprising a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run, totaling a distance of 70.3 miles (113.0 km).
Preparation and dedication were the keys to Zach's success, as he meticulously trained for over six months to participate in this prestigious event. His commitment and perseverance paid off, as he completed the race with an impressive finish time of 6 hours and 22 minutes. The time needed by an athlete to complete a 70.3 distance event varies from race to race and can be influenced by external factors such as the terrain and the total elevation gained and lost on the course, weather conditions, and course conditions. Finish times range from sub-four-hour completion times by elite-level athletes to the imposed race cut-off, which is commonly 8 hours and 30 minutes after the start time.
Ahmed Zachariah Faizal is the son of Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal, a well-known Indian entrepreneur couple based in the UAE. The couple is not only known for their business endeavors but also for their philanthropic contributions.
Shabana hails from Mangaluru in the Karnataka state of India. She is the only daughter of prominent businessman and socio-religious leader Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen who founded the prestigious BA Group of Businesses in Thumbay near Mangaluru.
Zach, an alumnus of the University of Surrey in London, UK, where he completed his Mechanical Engineering degree, has established PEEC Mobility. PEEC Mobility is a company that takes a creative approach to electric mobility, focusing on repurposing retired vehicles as an alternative to manufacturing new electric vehicles (EVs). Their mission is to accelerate the green transition by designing and manufacturing the petrol-to-electric transition, with a particular emphasis on repurposing large-scale fleets worldwide to achieve financial viability and make a substantial positive impact on the environment.
The Ironman 70.3 race in Rapperswil-Jona witnessed the participation of approximately 3,000 athletes from various countries worldwide. Among them, Ahmed Zachariah Faizal stood out as one of the three Indian participants. Notably, a significant proportion of the athletes were in their 40s and above, with 20% of the participants being over 60 years old.
Ahmed with his father Faizal Kottikollon
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BJP accuses CM Siddaramaiah of 'misleading' public on govt job figures
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing him of "misleading" the public on government recruitment figures and "failing" to address the concerns of unemployed youth in the state.
In a detailed post on his X handle, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress-led government was attempting to deflect accountability by blaming the previous BJP administration instead of initiating concrete steps to fill vacant posts.
“Chief Minister, please refrain from misleading the people. Do not attempt to shift the blame for all your shortcomings onto the BJP and evade responsibility. Your administration has earned a reputation for arrogance, corruption and mismanagement,” Vijayendra said, adding that students and youth were not naïve enough to be swayed by what he termed as "exaggerated claims".
Vijayendra's response came following Siddaramaiah's statement on Tuesday blaming BJP for the huge backlog of government job vacancies.
The CM had said that when Congress assumed office in 2023, over 2.64 lakh government posts were vacant.
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The backlog resulted from prolonged inaction under the previous BJP government, which failed to initiate timely recruitment or create a structured roadmap, he said.
As thousands of government job aspirants staged a massive protests in Dharwad on Tuesday demanding filling the vacant posts immediately, Siddaramaiah accused BJP leaders of "misleading students for political gains" and said recruitment irregularities and alleged corruption between 2019 and 2023 had eroded trust in the system, leading to the current crisis.
Questioning the government’s public statements on employment generation, Vijayendra referred to figures tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
“According to the official figures presented by your own government in the Legislative Assembly, only 8,157 government recruitments have been completed during your three years in office. Yet publicly claiming that 40,000 posts have been filled raises serious concerns. Does this not amount to misleading the unemployed youth of the state?” the Shikaripura MLA asked.
The BJP leader also raised the issue of large-scale vacancies in government departments, claiming that lakhs of posts remained unfilled even after the Congress came to power.
According to him, the state was struggling financially and questioned the delay in initiating fresh recruitment drives despite what he described as legal clarity on proceeding under the existing reservation framework.
Vijayendra further criticised the government for prioritising the accommodation of party workers and disgruntled MLAs in state-run corporations with ministerial rank and perks, while unemployed youth continued to wait for job opportunities.
“At the very least, please stop making claims that do not align with facts. Youth unrest in the state is mounting. Before matters escalate further, act with sincerity — or consider stepping down and seeking the people’s forgiveness,” the BJP state chief said.
Noting that frustration among students and job aspirants was intensifying, Vijayendra urged the CM to immediately expedite pending recruitment processes and ensure transparency in appointments.
He warned that the government would be held accountable for any fallout arising out of growing youth discontent.
