Vizag’s Ironman famous for swimming, running and cycling

A passion for sports from a very young age and a supportive family have fostered his desire to shine in sports on the international circuit. As Krishna Parawada prepares for the upcoming international challenges, Ironman from Vizag who is famous for swimming, cycling and running, talks about his journey so far.

The start

After dabbling in badminton and cricket, Krishna gravitated towards swimming because his brothers were national champions in the sport. A professional swimmer at the age of 13, he participated in the South Zone Nationals in Chennai and State Level Aquathalon when he was only 15. While securing the fourth place at Aquathlon did not get him to the Nationals, he worked harder and bagged the second place in the subsequent year. He started participating in Triathlons, and from then on there was no looking back, for Krishna stayed a State Level Champion for the next four years. Pushing his limits, he participated in Triathlon Nationals, swimming, and Aquathlon Nationals too. He earned a second place at the Half Ironman conducted by Hyderabad Adventures Club in 2013 and next started to search for events outside India to create an identity and set records.

Outside India

Scouting for opportunities outside India led Krishna to participate first in France and then in Busselton, Australia, where he felt the cycling track to be similar to Vizag. Starting his preparation six months in advance, he would get up at 4:30 every morning, and train vigorously. While his elder brother was his coach for swimming, he trained for cycling with Madhu Babu, a senior National Cycling Medallist.  For long distance marathons and cycling, it was Raja who provided the guidance.

Hurdles

While furthering oneself in any sport requires complete dedication, International Triathlons can be expensive. His participation in Australia meant an entry fee of Rs. 53000, and an entire budget of about Rs. 3.3 lakhs, which was a very large sum for his middle-class family. While they raised funds somehow, he didn’t get a visa on time. When he finally flew to Australia at the last minute, he was late, leading to his accommodation getting cancelled. It was an Indian restaurant which helped him for the night. Despite the stress, he did participate in the Triathlon and went on to rank 101 among the over 3000 participants.

City infrastructure

“Vizag is a place where traveling far for sources of fitness and works out is not needed, as everything can be found in closer distances.” Thus while the stretch of beach comes handy for sand running, there are many pools for swimming around the city. However, he feels that sports need more encouragement than it gets. A proper support system is needed, and he hopes that associations are formed and competitions conducted to make that happen.

Future plans

As 31-year-old Krishna prepares for the Ironman competition in Italy on September 22, he hopes that he wouldn’t have to expend too much time for sponsorship. Wanting to focus all his energies on preparing for the competition, he shares that he has made a few changes to his practice schedule based on past experiences. Focusing on strength training now, he will simultaneously practice cycling, swimming and running, as he also sets his sights on Ultraman and Deccan Cliffhanger.

Vizag is a place where traveling far for sources of fitness and workout is not needed, as everything can be found in closer distances.