LANGKAWI: Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus, proved he’s made of "steel" after completing his first-ever full-distance Ironman Malaysia in Langkawi on Saturday (Nov 1).
Comm Fadil, also known as "Blade", conquered the gruelling 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run course, which is widely regarded as one of Asia’s toughest single-day endurance tests, in his maiden attempt.
"I am truly grateful to Allah that I managed to complete my first-ever Ironman.
"I am thankful to my family, the police force, my coach and the team who trained and raced alongside me - the Blade family," he said in a statement.
He said he had attempted to enter the gruelling competition three times previously but had to cancel due to various commitments.
"So this definitely feels extra special," said Comm Fadil, who led a team of police triathletes under the police Triathlon Club.
He said the preparations were difficult because he barely had time to train in the two months leading up to the race.
"Work commitments with the Kuala Lumpur police contingent and the Asean Summit kept me very busy. But Alhamdulillah, I pulled through and managed to finish strong," he said.
Comm Fadil, who has previously completed several Ironman 70.3 events, described the full-distance race as “a whole new level” but said the experience mirrored the core values of police work — discipline, determination and teamwork.
Among other police officers and personnel who completed the full Ironman challenge were Deputy Supt Mohd Zaki Ahmad, Asst Supt Zulkarnain Rika
