Md Sajedur Rahman, a joint director of Bangladesh Bank, has become the first Bangladeshi triathlete to successfully complete the full-distance IRONMAN Vietnam.
Competing as the sole representative from Bangladesh in this year’s event held in the city of Da Nang last Sunday, he crossed the finish line in 15 hours and 34 minutes.
The Ironman triathlon is widely regarded as one of the world’s most taxing one-day endurance challenges, requiring participants to complete a 3.8km swim, a 180km cycle, and a 42.2km marathon. Sajedur competed in the 35–39 age category.
Sajedur’s historic achievement was marked by significant physical and mechanical adversity. After completing the 3.8km swim in 1 hour and 22 minutes and taking a brief five-minute transition, he began the cycling leg according to his pace plan. However, at the 80km mark, a Grab driver suddenly attempted to cross the road, forcing him to brake abruptly. The resulting fall caused an injury to his right leg and damaged his bicycle wheel.
Despite the injury and failing to receive immediate mechanical assistance at hydration points, Sajedur repaired the cycle himself to remain in the race. The accident, coupled with a lack of adequate nutrition, took a heavy physical toll, leaving him to battle intense weakness throughout the remainder of the course.
The athlete said he vomited twice before commencing the final running segment. He admitted that while the thought of abandoning the race crossed his mind, he drew motivation from his daughter and the national flag.
“It felt as though if I stopped, Bangladesh would lose,” Sajedur remarked. Having no one at the finish line to hand him a flag, he carried the Bangladeshi flag in his trisuit pocket for the entire run before unfurling it to finish the final kilometres strongly.
This feat marks Sajedur’s third successful full-distance Ironman completion. His endurance journey began with an unfinished attempt at IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt in 2022, followed by successful finishes at IRONMAN European Championship Hamburg 2024 and IRONMAN Malaysia 2025.
