Mumbai: Beating all odds, Dattatray Kale and Mohan Pawar – two cops from the state – proved their mettle and unfurled the tricolour at the Triathlon 2024, an international sporting event held in Gurye, South Korea. On September 29, both the 38 year olds won the coveted Ironman title after completing gruelling tasks in record time, while battling extreme cold weather. The feat of the duo, who serve with the Solapur city police, becomes more praiseworthy, given the fact that they come from small villages and prepared for the event, while simultaneously performing their duties.
Details On Kale & Pawar's Triumph
Of 700 participants, Kale, an assistant police inspector, and Pawar, a police sub-inspector, competed in the 34-39 age group. The challenge's extremity can be gauged by the fact that participants are required to complete 3.86-km swimming within two hours and 20 minutes, 180.25-km cycling race within eight hours and 10 minutes and the 42.2-km marathon in six hours and 30 minutes. Known as the toughest long-distance triathlon in the world, the entire race must be completed in less than 17 hours. Notably, Kale finished in 13 hours and 24 minutes, while Pawar took 14 hours and six minutes. Kudos to Pawar, who rode to victory on a regular cycle as he did not have a professional triathlon bike, which typically costs lakhs.
Hailing from the Shindi Budruk hamlet in Man Taluka, Satara district, Kale was initially inducted in the State Reserve Police Force and made his way into Force One after the 26/11 attacks. During this time, he began taking interest in marathons and eventually ran the Mumbai Full Marathon. In 2012, he passed the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exam and became an assistant police inspector. Last year, he competed in the Bergman Triathlon, a multisport event in which he performed exceptionally well.
Notably, Kale also served as the leader of the C-60 commando team in Gadchiroli, where he took part in numerous anti-insurgency operations and eliminated several ultras. For his bravery, he was awarded the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and the anti-Naxal award in 2017. Similarly, Pawar, who comes from the Mendhapur village in Solapur, passed the MPSC exam in 2016. Before becoming a police sub-inspector, he participated in several marathons and ran 5km daily for practice. Alongside Kale, he also took part in Bergman Triathlon, which spurred him to compete for the 'Ironman' title.
PSI Pawar in yellow jersey and API Kale in blue jersey |
Intense Training Along With Police Duty
However, success came the hard way for the duo as they had to manage duty and practice together. With unrelenting determination, they trained every morning from 5.50am to 9.30am and adjusted the time accordingly during night shifts. The going got even tougher when they had to travel to Pune or Mumbai for court work. They didn't lose grit and carried their training gear with them to continue practice whenever and wherever possible. Their coach, Kiran Sahu, was also instrumental in shaping their success, with a strict training schedule and diet plan.
Summing up the arduous journey, Kale said, “IPS officer Krishna Prakash, who completed the Ironman Triathlon, was my inspiration. It’s essential to stay physically and mentally fit in our fast-paced lives.” Pawar added, “The environment in Gurye was extremely cold, but our training helped us to adjust. However, I did face problems when it came to food because I am a vegetarian. Another challenge was my cycle, which was a regular one, while others had expensive bikes.”
