How three athletes from Belagavi took on the full-distance IRONMAN California 2025 and rewrote their home city’s history
Nestled in the Belagavi region, a small but ambitious contingent of triathletes quietly prepared for one of the toughest endurance events on the planet. On Sunday 19 October 2025, in Sacramento, California, three of them crossed the finish line of the full-distance Ironman — 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run — and in doing so, carried the name of Belagavi into the global triathlon arena.
The Belagavi trio: three stories, one finish line
Shubhendu Redkar (27)
A civil engineer by profession and a proud native of Belagavi, Shubhendu suited up for his first full Ironman in October 2025. His finish time: 12:32:35. He placed 147th of 251 in the M25–29 category.
His preparation, balancing work and training, and his arrival at Sacramento, meant he carried both hopes and nerves. But crossing that red-carpet finish line inside the Capitol Mall marked not just a personal achievement, but something heritage for Belagavi.
Purva Redkar (32)
His sister, Purva, married and based in Boulder, USA, working in an IT firm (Visa), took on the same challenge. Her finish time: 14:43:17, 56th of 76 in F30–34 category.
Together, siblings Shubhendu and Purva became the first brother–sister duo from Belagavi to complete the full Ironman distance. That fact alone brings an inspirational familial angle: support, sibling rivalry, shared perseverance — culminating in simultaneous finishes on the same weekend.
Megh Shivalkar (25)
Belagavi’s “quiet force” on the international triathlon scene. Megh works at Micron Technology (Boise, USA) in semiconductor engineering and has already made waves: At age 21 he became one of the youngest Indians to finish a full Ironman, and won his age-group at the 2022 Ironman Kazakhstan (≈11:48 finish) to qualify for the world championship in Kona.
For the 2025 IRONMAN California he clocked 11:44:12 (88th of 254 in M25–29) according to the tracker image you shared. That time, and his status, make him — as you noted — the only Indian Ironman winner (age-group) to secure a Kona-slot without legacy support. While I did not find an official press release confirming “only Indian” status, the local media reported him as youngest Indian winner in his age-group.
A course built for speed — and for pain
The IRONMAN California course boasts a reputation as one of the “fast” full-distance triathlons thanks to its remarkably flat terrain and down-river swim start.
- The swim: 2.4 miles (≈3.86 km), a point-to-point route down the American River into the Sacramento River, giving athletes the benefit of current assistance.
- The bike: 112 miles (≈180 km) across two loops through farm and wine country, with only around 700 ft (≈ 215 m) of elevation gain — remarkably low for an Ironman bike leg.
- The run: A two-loop, 26.2 mile (42.2 km) marathon back through Sacramento, finishing on the Capitol Mall — flat but unforgiving after hours of prior effort.
From Belagavi — a city not traditionally known as a triathlon powerhouse — these three athletes signal that endurance sport ambitions are spreading far beyond historic hubs. Their joint finish at IRONMAN California 2025 carries multiple layers of significance. While the Sacramento terrain is flat and fast by Ironman standards, that doesn’t make things easy — the distance itself, the hours, the mental grind, and the preparation are formidable. Finishing a full Ironman remains a hallmark of endurance sport.
When October 19 2025 dawned in Sacramento, three athletes carrying a bit of Belagavi’s spirit stood on the banks of the American River, goggles on, hearts pounding. They swam into river-current, clipped into aero bikes on two long loops, and then ran that marathon through downtown Sacramento, finishing under bright lights and crowds that cheered athletes from 90+ countries.
Their finish times vary, their age-groups differ, their journeys unique — but what binds them is this: they did it. They stepped into the starting chute of an Ironman, and came out the other end an Ironman finisher. That alone transforms them, and for Belagavi, it marks a memorable chapter.
May their story encourage others from the region to take the leap, train through the early mornings and late rides, believe in the possibility, and cross finish lines they once only dreamed of.