Sports

Shahrez Khan, the triathlete striving for victory on global stage

Shahrez is the second Pakistani triathlete to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 world championship. Shahrez Khan, a triathlon star, spent his whole life training for marathons, pounding the pavement in spots like Lahore’s Zaman Park — back when it was more about cricket and hockey than anything else — Bagh-i-Jinnah in the heart of the […]

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4 months ago

April 4, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Shahrez Khan, the triathlete striving for victory on global stage

Shahrez is the second Pakistani triathlete to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 world championship.

Shahrez Khan, a triathlon star, spent his whole life training for marathons, pounding the pavement in spots like Lahore’s Zaman Park — back when it was more about cricket and hockey than anything else — Bagh-i-Jinnah in the heart of the city, and the scenic gardens of Christ Church Meadow over at Oxford in the United Kingdom. He knew running was his strongest suit, no question.

Born in Lahore to Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, Shahrez completed his schooling at Aitchison College before heading to Oxford University for his MBA. At present, he works as the regional head at Simba Global, a big linen supplier based in Australia. Shahrez has been hooked on sports since he was a kid, always eager to get out there and play. Even as he built a solid career, his passion for sports never dimmed. He kicked off with half marathons, duathlons, and 10Ks, eventually taking on the Ironman 70.3 triathlon.

But the Ironman 70.3 triathlon world championship required not one but three disciplines for victory: running, swimming, and cycling. How did Shahrez manage to train for all three for a single four-to-five-hour race?

Early Training

Shahrez trained at Zaman Park, following in the footsteps of his uncles — Imran Khan, Majid Khan, and Javed Burki— who were among Pakistan’s top cricketers.

Remembering his teen years, Shahrez told Dawn.com, “When I was a young boy, he (Imran Khan) would take me to cricket practice with him, and after coming back from the gym, he would go for sprinting to Zaman Park.”

He said that when he was young, it was “very rare” for people to focus on sport or physical fitness but he saw his uncle put in hard work on his fitness and endurance.

“[Seeing his determination] had a lasting impact on me”, he recalled. “I believed that to grow, you have to work hard on cultivating your talent, as no one is born with so much talent.”

From an early age, Shahrez started participating in cross-country events representing Aitchison College. Owing to the endless sports opportunities offered there, he was able to experiment with different types of skills, ranging from swimming to cycling. Easy access to such facilities and the push to keep competing sowed the seed for the passion he developed in endurance sports.

Shahrez Khan running the Islamabad half marathon with his close friend Fahd Mukhtar. — Shahrez Khan

The athlete carried that passion with him to Oxford, where he managed to become a part of the Said Business School cross-country team. Even though he was pursuing an MBA degree there, alongside running a textile sourcing business, Shahrez managed to not let go of his passion.

“I, you know, enjoyed the running as much as I enjoyed the academics,” he reminisced. “Christ Church, I remember, had one of the best grounds and parks, and that provided the perfect setting for me to practice my running.”

Shahrez knew the decision to opt for an MBA would come with its own challenges: balancing sports, academics and business at the same time.

“It wasn’t easy […] but that’s how you grow”, he said.

He emphasised his desire to never let his learning reach a plateau, highlighting that he managed to adapt at every phase of life and kept his focus on how he could take himself to the next level.

“That’s what sports teach you – you push your body to a breaking point, to a limit, and you realise that you get stronger every time you test yourself, and that is a mental and physical thing combined.”

Road to Ironman 70.3

On March 13, 2022, Shahrez ran a half marathon in Islamabad, with a close group of friends, all passionate about fitness and endurance sports. “I remember that day very clearly, as we had just finished a very challenging 21km run up to Monal [restaurant] and Pir Sohawa,” two famous spots situated on the Margalla Hills. During the run, his friends suggested they participate in IronMan 70.3 in Europe.

Shahrez Khan posing with his friends after running the half marathon in Islamabad. — Shahrez Khan

IronMan 70.3 is a 70.3-mile race which entails a 1.9km (1.2 mile) swim, a 90km (56 mile) bike ride and a 21.1km (13.1 mile) half marathon run to finish.

At that time, Shahrez barely had any foundation for cycling, other than what he had learned from school. However, he was slightly more confident in his swimming skills as he had competed in events with the Punjab swimming team, and it was also a part of his regular fitness regimen. In that moment, staying true to his ideology to keep pushing himself to grow, Shahrez saw this opportunity as a challenge and decided to take it on.

This marked the beginning of his IronMan 70.3 journey.

During the off-season, Shahrez trained for at least 10 to 12 hours a week, including a two-hour session every morning on a weekday, and a three-hour session over the weekends. When preparing for IronMan, his training extended up to 14 to 18 hours per week.

Shahrez knew that for IronMan 70.3, he would have to push to that “breaking point” and strengthen his endurance game.

On days when he wouldn’t have enough time, he would quickly “get a session out of the way” at the indoor “Pain Cave” he had built in his house, a space with his indoor cycling trainer, treadmill and a few weights. On other days, when he would have the luxury of time, he would head to the Lahore Gymkhana to practice swimming, to Bagh-i-Jinnah for runs, and to the expansive roads of Defence Housing Authority’s Phase 7 for cycling practice sessions with a group of cyclists he had trained. On days when Lahore would witness smog, his runs and cycling sessions would return to the Pain Cave.

During weekends, he would try to pack a brick workout.

“A brick workout is when you combine two disciplines. So, if I’m doing a cycle, I’ll do a cycle session, and then I’ll run right after that, because that’s what the race is [about]. And you train your body to do that race together.”

He made significant changes to his routine to incorporate all three disciplines into his practice every day.

In June 2022, post all the preparatory steps of registration, months of training, procuring the right gear, the right bicycle, packing the transition bag, and checking in his bike and bicycle, Shahrez was finally ready to begin his first IronMan 70.3 triathlon in Luxembourg.

DJ sets in the background, the race kicked off with an open water swim in the Moselle river in Germany, which transitioned to cycling through the picturesque Moselle valley through Luxembourg and France and ended with a final run by the banks of the Moselle, with a myriad of people cheering for the athletes.

“The energy is contagious,” he recalled.

Initially, he decided to compete in this race as a challenge.

“It was also a way to get a Europe trip out of it,” he chuckled. But soon after the race ended, he found himself looking for the next one. In awe of all the elite athletes who competed alongside him, he felt further inspired to continue this journey.

“Half the fun is the journey. You’re waking up at 4am, getting two sports out of the way in the morning, and then heading to work, you know, making the most of your day […] it’s the excitement [related] to an event.”

The competition had turned into an obsession, he found himself hooked on it.

Since 2022, Shahrez has participated in seven IronMan 70.3 events. In 2024, he finished 10th in his group in Mossel Bay, South Africa. In 2025, he finished 9th in the run segment in Muscat, Oman.

Shahrez Khan interacting with the crowd during his run at Ironman 70.3 in Muscat, Oman. — Shahrez Khan

When asked about his favourite race out of all the IronMan events, he shared how he participated in a race by the clearest lake in New Zealand, Lake Taupo, and described it as “ the clearest, like a pool […] one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen“.

Unable to choose one, he gushed about racing on the beautiful Garden Route in the Western Cape, a challenging but beautiful hilly terrain. One thing he was certain of, however, was that the Philippines had been the most challenging race. “I’m not gonna run in the heat and humidity again,” he chuckled.

Shahrez Khan cycling through Palawan Island for Ironman 70.3 in the Philippines. — Shahrez Khan

In 2025, he competed in an IronMan 70.3 in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Riding on the Puerto Princesa South Road, he knew he was doing “fairly well” as he was in the leading pack of athletes but was not sure if he would be top 10.

As he neared the finish line on the Lapu-Lapu run course, the roar of the cheering crowd filled the air. One glance at his timing, and he realised he had secured 7th place in his age group.

He said it was his best performance so far, as finishing in the top 10 of his age group earned him a spot for the world championship in November 2025, in Marbella, Spain, making him the second Pakistani to ever qualify for the world championship and giving him the chance to represent Pakistan among the best global athletes.

“Nothing compares to the moment I crossed the finish line and realised I had qualified for the World Championship. The sheer joy, the disbelief, the overwhelming pride — it was an indescribable feeling,” he enthused.

Shahrez Khan right after crossing the finish line at Ironman 70.3 at Puerto Princesa, Philippines. — Shahrez Khan

Speaking about how he managed to strike a balance between his friends, family and his passion, he said he took frequent “race-cations.”

“I mix up a vacation with the family, […] I take my bike with me, so I definitely don’t travel light,” he laughed.

Regardless, he acknowledged that with IronMan coming into the equation, the amount of time spent on sports had increased. However, with his family and friends’ understanding of his “crazy” routine, he was able to be consistent.

Having won the Walter E Robinson Cross-Country 10K race representing Aitchison for the past three years and now the IronMan 70.3 triathlons, Shahrez’s eyes are on bringing a medal home for Pakistan.

Alongside his practice, Shahrez is engaged in training and guiding more Pakistani athletes interested in endurance sports. He said he believes sports teach people the discipline they need in life, helping them deal with high-pressure situations and other life lessons.

Shahrez is currently training athletes from his alma mater as he believes that an entire generation of athletes can be “inspired and curated” by sharing his learnings from his trials and errors.

Unfortunately, there are no triathlons in Pakistan yet but he believes the country has a high potential to host such events, especially considering the beautiful locations it has to offer.

“It is a great positive from a tourism point of view as well,” he added

With marathons gaining traction in some parts of the country, he believed we need to incorporate other forms of endurance sports in people’s lifestyles, making them “a part of our culture” where there is more participation from everyone.

For athletes looking at participating in triathlons, he had one message, “There’s commitment, there’s dedication, but the physical rewards, the mental rewards, are unlimited.” Other than that unique feeling he described when the crowd is cheering for you as soon as you cross the finish line.

For those wondering what it takes to compete in a triathlon? Shahrez had a very simple answer: commitment, dedication, discipline. “You have to have that, I mean, coupled with some grit.”

Header Image: Provided by Shahrez Khan

Sports

Spalding Water Polo have been nominated for the Swim England Water Polo Club of the Year award

Spalding Water Polo Club has been nominated for a coveted national award. Their name has been put forward for the Swim England Water Polo Club of the Year accolade. The news has been hailed as a ‘massive and wonderful achievement’ for the club who meet at the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding and also train […]

Published

57 minutes ago

July 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Spalding Water Polo Club has been nominated for a coveted national award.

Their name has been put forward for the Swim England Water Polo Club of the Year accolade.

The news has been hailed as a ‘massive and wonderful achievement’ for the club who meet at the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding and also train in the summer at the Bourne outdoor pool.

The Spalding team at the Hertfordshire League tournament.

The annual awards bring the entirety of the aquatics community together to celebrate the individuals, groups and organisations for their outstanding contributions throughout the past 12 months.

In 2025, the awards will highlight achievements from clubs, coaches, teachers, volunteers, inclusion, health and much more – showcasing those that create great experiences across aquatics.

The Club of the Year awards are discipline-specific, highlighting the unique contributions of clubs across aquatics.

It highlights where clubs go above and beyond to create exceptional experiences both in and out of the water, placing their members at the heart of everything they do.

The ceremony will be held at the Great Hall at the University of Birmingham on Saturday, November 29.

The Spalding club play in the Hertfordshire League and took part in its tournament at Letchworth Lido.

Six matches would be played by each team, with a game lasting eight minutes.

Things would not be easy for Spalding as they had several players pull out at the last minute which meant they travelled with only eight players, little more than half a full squad, and no recognised goalkeeper.

Having agreed a rota for goalkeeping, captain Nathan Henfrey took the first game in goal against Dunstable.

Spalding were switched on from the start, keeping a solid defence and scoring twice through Adam Found and Sam Murray for a 2-0 opening game win.

The second game against host team Hertford saw Frazer McGruer in goal for Spalding.

Spalding scored first through Dan Leigh but Hertford were able to equalise.

Spalding were then able to capitalise on a turnover foul which allowed Henfrey to score the winning goal of the game in a 2-1 success.

The third game saw Spalding play Enfield where this time Leigh went in goal.

The game was even with both teams scoring twice, the two Spalding goals coming from Murray.

However, in the final minute, Spalding gave away a penalty allowing Enfield to take a 3-2 win.

Going into the fourth game against Cambridge, McGruer volunteered to take the remaining games in goal.

This brought about Spalding’s most dominant performance after a 4-1 victory with goals coming from Adam Found, Henfrey, Adam Gibbons and Murray.

Moving into the last few games, a couple of players volunteered from Hertford to boost Spalding’s substitute options.

However, the Spalding players were noticeably tiring against what would prove to be the toughest opponents of the night.

Bedford were able to beat Spalding 5-0 before Watford defeated them 5-1, Leigh getting the goal in the final game.

The Spalding players, including Lola Westrick and Paige Cheek, deserve great praise for putting in a tremendous amount of effort and working well as a team.

Spalding finished the night with three wins and three losses, putting them fourth out of the seven teams. Watford were the overall winners.

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Sports

Volleyball Receives 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award

Story Links Rock Hill, S.C. — For the 12th time in program history, the Winthrop Volleyball team has garnered the distinction of American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT. Volleyball programs that maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale are […]

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1 hour ago

July 22, 2025

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Rock Hill, S.C. — For the 12th time in program history, the Winthrop Volleyball team has garnered the distinction of American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT.

Volleyball programs that maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale are honored with the Team Academic Award, a feat which 1,450 collegiate and high school programs were able to achieve.

“It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” says AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. “The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes.”

The Eagles registered a 3.65 GPA over the course of the 2024-25 academic year, with a record-setting performance of a 3.78 GPA in the Spring 2025 semester for the highest mark in program history. In the spring, every Eagle held a 3.0 GPA or higher with five perfect 4.0 marks, and nine athletes over a 3.5 GPA.

LINK TO AVCA RELEASE

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Sports

Five A-10 Volleyball Teams Earn AVCA Team Academic Award

Story Links WASHINGTON – Five Atlantic 10 Conference volleyball programs recieved the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award. The award, which is sponsored by INTENT, was announced on Monday. Davidson, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham and Loyola Chicago were recipients of the honor. Eligible programs maintained at least a team GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 […]

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2 hours ago

July 22, 2025

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WASHINGTON – Five Atlantic 10 Conference volleyball programs recieved the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award. The award, which is sponsored by INTENT, was announced on Monday.

Davidson, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham and Loyola Chicago were recipients of the honor. Eligible programs maintained at least a team GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale over the course of the 2024-25 year.

Dayton, the 2024 regular season champions, won the award for the eighth conseuctive season and 14th overall. Duquesne won its seventh consecutive award and 15th overall. Fordham collected its eighth overall honor.

Davidson received the Team Academic Honor Roll distinction. The Team Academic Honor Roll is awarded to programs that are in the top 20 percent of GPAs in their division.

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Beach Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic & Honor Roll Awards

Story Links LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that Missouri State’s beach volleyball program has earned the prestigious 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT. This award recognizes teams that sustain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher across the academic year. In addition to the […]

Published

2 hours ago

July 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that Missouri State’s beach volleyball program has earned the prestigious 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT. This award recognizes teams that sustain a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher across the academic year.

In addition to the Team Academic Award, the Bears were recognized on the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll, an honor reserved for teams that hold the top 20% of team GPAs across all programs in their division.

Missouri State posted an impressive 3.76 cumulative GPA for the 2024–25 academic year, with a 3.78 in the fall and 3.74 in the spring. Every student-athlete on the roster recorded at least a 3.00 GPA each semester, totaling 39 semesters at 3.00 or higher, including 33 at 3.50 or above and nine perfect 4.00 semesters.

#GoBears

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Temple University

PHILADELPHIA – The American Volleyball Coaches Association has announced the 2025 Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT for the 2024-25 academic year. “It’s very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court success during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” says AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. Temple is a part of a cohort […]

Published

2 hours ago

July 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PHILADELPHIA – The American Volleyball Coaches Association has announced the 2025 Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT for the 2024-25 academic year.

“It’s very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court success during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom,” says AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon.

Temple is a part of a cohort of 1,450 other collegiate and high school volleyball teams that maintained a year-long GPA of at least a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

Gordon continued,” The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes.”

The Owls finished the 2024-25 academic year with a team cumulative GPA of 3.54. 15 student-athletes finished the school year with at least a 3.0 GPA, which accounts for 94% of the team.

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Sports

Best quotes from day eleven of the World Aquatics Championships

Day eleven of the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 delivered drama and thrill as artistic swimming crowned new champions, while Greece stunned by defeating defending champions USA in the women’s water polo semi-final, setting up a gold medal showdown with Hungary on Wednesday. In the artistic swimming competition, athletes delivered flawless performances across the […]

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2 hours ago

July 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In the artistic swimming competition, athletes delivered flawless performances across the Men’s Solo Free Finals and Women’s Duet Technical Finals, while twenty six teams competed in the Team Technical Prelims with eyes on championship glory.

Hear more about it all below.

Artistic Swimming

Filippo PELATI (ITA) – Bronze in the Men’s Solo Free Finals

On the result:

“I’m very happy with my performance because I didn’t expect the result. I was only enjoying the moment and I only felt the music and the choreography and thought about nothing. I’m very proud of myself and happy to win a bronze. It’s very important for me; it’s like a gold medal and I’m very emotional.”

On his first World Championships medal:

“Now it’s confirmed, because last year I took part in the junior worlds in Lima and I won the bronze in the mixed duet technical and placed fourth (in both solo free and technical). So for me, now (this) seems like a gold. And also because it’s with all the best male artistic swimmers – every (swimmer) is the best one. I’m very proud.”

Eirini-Marina ALEXANDRI (AUT) – Gold in Women’s Duet Technical Finals

On whether being twins gives them an advantage:

“We have a special connection because we know how we feel. I know how she feels even if I just look at her, so I know what I have to tell her to calm her down. And the same applies for her; she knows everything about me and we can communicate very easily. If it’s another girl, then sometimes maybe you have to be careful how you tell them things.”

Water Polo

Kathy ROGERS (GBR), captain and Player of the Match – re. FRA V GBR (9-14)

On their Singapore 2025 campaign and the future:

“There’s going to be a really good future. It’s going to be really big. We’re getting more support from Swim England and Aquatics GB, so it’s a really exciting time.”

Tilly KEARNS (AUS), Player of the Match – re. AUS-JPN (21-17)

On how close the match was:

“From a disappointing quarter-final, it’s always hard to get up and play another game when it’s not for a medal and it’s not for the result that you want. But we’re a team that always gets around each other and we love each other a lot, so we wanted to play for each other.”

Eleftheria PLEVRITOU (GRE), captain – re. GRE v USA (14-10)

On the match:

“It was amazing today. We played really good. My team is ready for the final, ready for the gold. At the beginning, it was just the attack that we were stuck a little bit. We couldn’t score. That’s why, I think the score was close. Until the third quarter, it was close…We played amazing in the last minutes. We controlled the game with the time.”

Boglarka NESZMELY (HUN), Player of the Match – re. HUN v ESP (15-9)

“It was a perfect win from us. Our team, we played really, really good water polo. We did what the coach said so thanks to my teammates, thanks to my coach and to everybody who helped us. I’m so blessed to be a part of this team because it’s a huge thing for us, reaching the final. Our team is basically a new team and we have a lot of young players, including me, so it’s a huge thing for us. It means everything because Hungary is a water polo nation and I’m so thankful.”

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