Natascha Badmann, six-time Ironman world champion and Red Bull athlete said that she was excited to race in the IRONMAN 70.3 race in Goa on Sunday, October 20.
Natascha, who is already in Goa for acclimatisation purposes said she was happy with what she had seen of the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa route. “The sea looks good for the swim and the roads selected for cycling and running look interesting too, though one will need to get used to the heat and the humidity in Goa.”
Natascha is a legend of endurance racing, with a stunning six wins at the Ironman World Championships to her name. Twice named as the Swiss Sportswoman of the Year, she was not only the first European woman to win the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, but she is also a six-time World Champion, having won the Hawaii Ironman in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
She is also one of only four women in the history of Ironman to win the title more than three times, and only stepped away from the professional scene in 2016 at the age of 50, an incredible 20 years after her first race in Hawaii.
Stressing on the importance of hydration and nutrition in the sport of Triathlon, Natascha said, “The most key aspect of preparing is high intensity training and most important is to have a sustainable nutrition plan in place. Nutrition and Hydration are extremely important to participate in an Ironman event. Consumption of Red Bull helps me a lot during training as it contains a variety of ingredients, including caffeine and vitamins, which provides a boost in my energy and performance.”
On her training diet, Red Bull Athlete Natascha Badmann highlighted “All year round I do not eat fried things and no meat. I try to eat healthy with lots of vegetables and fruits, but also carbohydrates and proteins. The week before a race, I eat low carbs for four days and then three days before the race, I pick up carbohydrates and reduce my vegetable and protein intake.”
Expressing happiness at the growing interest in IRONMAN races and Triathlon in India, Natascha said, “I am amazed to hear that 800 Indian triathletes have registered for this first IRONMAN 70.3 race in Goa and India. This indicates a growing interest in sport and fitness in India. After achieving success and experiencing thrilling moments in my career so far – it is now my aim and passion to inspire more and more people to try and participate in Ironman events.”
Deepak Raj, 20-times IRONMAN finisher and race director of the IRONMAN 70.3 race in Goa who was also present at the media conference said that he was overwhelmed by the response from Indian and overseas athletes for the race. “Our race was sold out in just 27 days, which is one of the quickest registration closures for any first IRONMAN race in a debutant host country. This IRONMAN 70.3 Goa race is our humble contribution to the honourable Prime Minister’s recently announced ‘Fit-India’ movement,” Deepak said.
Deepak also complimented Natascha’s many achievements as a champion IRONMAN athlete and expressed his happiness at her participation in this inaugural IRONMAN race in India.
