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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Witherspoon Earns AVCA All- Region Honors
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta junior outside hitter Layne Witherspoon has been named an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention selection following a standout 2025 campaign in which the Jaguars finished 25–9 and captured the Peach Belt Conference regular-season title.
Witherspoon delivered 346 kills on .295 hitting across 126 sets while adding 168 digs, 84 total blocks, and 433 total points. She tallied 17 double-digit kill performances, highlighted by a season-high 17 kills against Montevallo on Sept. 19 and a 21-point outing versus Francis Marion on Sept. 13. On the defensive side, she posted a season-best 14 digs at Flagler on Oct. 4 and recorded seven total blocks against Georgia College on Oct. 17. She was second on the team with 3.44 points per set.
A consistent presence in Augusta’s front row, Witherspoon helped power the Jaguars to their PBC regular-season championship and another postseason appearance.
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Sports
Hanson Wins Region Player of the Year, Cook Named Coach of the Year
There are 14 first-team All-Region members and an additional group of honorable mention selections for each of the 10 regions. A Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year were selected for every region.
The 213 student-athletes who made All-Region represent 109 different schools. Nebraska leads the way with seven All-Region selections, followed by Pittsburgh and Stanford with six apiece. Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Minnesota, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin all have five All-Region first-team or honorable mention selections.
Joining Hanson on the AVCA All-Northwest Region First Team were freshman opposite Carly Gilk and redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson. Redshirt senior middle blocker Lourdes Myers and freshman middle blocker Jordan Taylor were named all-region honorable mention.
A Savage, Minn., native, Julia Hanson earns another major award after a magnificent senior season. She was also named a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025. During her fourth year in the Maroon and Gold, Hanson won Big Ten Player of the Week on Sept. 1 and was named MVP of the Golden Gopher Invitational on Aug. 31.
For the year, she totaled 26 10+ kill matches in 32 chances, posting a career-high 4.13 kills per set, a mark that ranked her fourth in the Big Ten. Hanson also hit a career-best .309, a mark that ranked her third among Big Ten pins.
She tallied five 20+ kill matches and averaged a career-best 0.30 service aces on the year. Her 26 aces in conference play put her at No. 8 in the conference. Defensively, Hanson posted 0.64 blocks and 1.60 digs per set. She was named as one of 30 players to the AVCA Preseason Player of the Year Watch List and was a Preseason All-Big Ten honoree. Hanson helped Minnesota reach its first Sweet 16 since 2022 after going for 36 kills last weekend in two matches (.500 hitting).
Coach Cook was named AVCA Region Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career and first at Minnesota. Cook led the Gophers to a 24-9 (12-8 Big Ten) record and a Sweet 16 appearance for the first time in his three years at the ‘U’. He and his coaching staff did this despite losing four starters to season-ending injuries in the first four weeks of the season. The Gophers played five freshmen starters for a majority of the season, including three-fourths of Big Ten competition. Minnesota also won four ranked matches this year, taking down No. 23 Indiana, No. 24 Penn State, No. 11 Purdue and No. 23 Iowa State.
Carly Gilk earned an all-region nod to go along with her Freshman All-Big Ten accolades. The rookie opposite posted 2.28 kills per set on a scorching .293 hitting in 2025. She also posted 1.70 digs, 0.60 blocks and 0.27 aces per set in 28 matches played. She had seven 10+ kill matches and seven 10+ dig matches on the year. Gilk had the best match of her freshman year on Oct. 26 at Purdue, tallying 15 kills (.364) and 10 digs in a five set match.
Redshirt freshman setter Stella Swenson added an all-region honor after being named All-Big Ten Second Team and to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. She averaged 9.78 assists, 2.16 digs, 0.61 blocks, 0.59 kills and 0.28 aces per set in her first year as a starter, playing in all 33 matches.
Swenson posted eight double-doubles, including a career-best 58-assist, 10-dig outing in a five-set win at Iowa. She ranked eighth in the Big Ten in assists per set and was fifth amongst setters with 0.59 kills per set. She was the first Minnesota freshman to post 1,000 assists in her rookie season since her sister, Samantha Seliger-Swenson, did so in 2015. Stella was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 1 after being named to the Golden Gopher Invitational All-Tournament Team. She was added to the AVCA Mid-Season Player of the Year Watch List as the only freshman on there,
Redshirt senior middle blocker Lourdes Myers had the best season of her career in 2025 in the Maroon and Gold. She was named AVCA All-Northwest Region Honorable Mention after going for 1.70 kills and 1.19 blocks per set, playing in all 33 matches. Myers had two 10+ kill matches in 2025, including a 12-kill, nine-block match at Washington. She had seven-or-more kills 13 times and five-or-more blocks 12 times. Myers ranked ninth in the Big Ten in blocks per set.
Freshman middle Jordan Taylor also earned AVCA All-Northwest Region Honorable Mention. She had a banner freshman season, averaging a team-best 1.24 blocks per set, playing in 30 matches. Taylor averaged 1.35 kills per set on .355 hitting, going for five-or-more kills 12 times. She had five+ blocks nine times, including a career-high 11 block match at Iowa on Nov. 16.
The Gophers (24-9, 12-8 B1G) compete in the Sweet 16 against No. 1 seeded Pittsburgh (28-4, 18-2 ACC) at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday. The match will be on ESPN2.
Sports
Badgers Land Five on AVCA North All-Region Team
The Badger list of North All-Region First Team honorees consists of Carter Booth, Mimi Colyer, Grace Egan, Kristen Simon and Una Vajagic. Head Coach Kelly Sheffield also earned his sixth Coach of the Year honor.
Freshman Kristen Simon was one-of-three freshman named First Team. In the regular season, Simon played in 89-of-92 sets as the starting libero for Wisconsin. The Kentucky native led the team with 3.49 digs per set, chipped in with 14 service aces and averaged 1.10 assists per set. She reached double-figure digs 19 matches, including a season-best in her very first collegiate match against Kansas with 23. The 5-foot-8 libero also earned Big Ten All-Freshman this season.
For the first time in her career, right side hitter Grace Egan earned All-Region honors. Traditionally, an outside hitter, Egan moved over to the right side and averaged 2.43 kills per set, 2.19 digs per set, 3.09 points per set and chipped in with 25 service aces this season for the Badgers. She totaled three double-doubles (kills, digs) against Texas, Florida and Northwestern.
Outside hitter Una Vajagic steadily became one of the Badgers most dynamic players in the starting rotation. The Serbian native totaled 2.71 kills per set, 2.56 digs per set, and 3.07 points per set in her first full season with the Badgers. Vajagic also collected eight double-doubles (kills, digs) in the regular season, including a back-to-back double-doubles in her first two collegiate matches against Kansas and Texas. The 6-foot outside hitter also chipped in with 18 service aces for UW.
Senior Carter Booth claims her fourth All-Region honor and third with the Badgers. In all four years, she has been a First Team honoree, including Freshman of the Year when she was with Minnesota. In the regular season, Booth led the Badgers and ranked 5th in the NCAA with a .436 hitting percentage. She added 2.02 kills per set, 1.24 blocks per set and 2.70 points per set. Booth totaled eight matches where she didn’t have a hitting error, including a season best 11 kills on 15 swings with no errors. Defensively, Booth achieved a season best 10.0 blocks at Michigan St. on Nov. 15.
Also joining Booth as a four-time AVCA All-Region recipient is outside hitter Mimi Colyer. She also repeats as All-Region Player of the Year. As a freshman Colyer was named the Pacific North Region Freshman of the Year at Oregon, and in 2024, she was named the Northwest Region Player of the Year. In just one season with the Badgers, Colyer has already broken and is on pace to break several more single-season offensive program records. The California native reached double-figure kills in every match but one this season, including nine matches with 20 or more kills. Colyer averaged 5.32 kills per set, 5.93 points per set, 2.20 digs per set, and added 0.69 blocks per set. She also hit .334 in the regular season. Colyer totaled seven double-doubles including a season-best 25 kill, 18 dig performance at Washington on Oct. 24.
Head coach Kelly Sheffield earned his sixth All-Region Coach of the Year honor after leading the Badgers to a 24-4 regular season record, and a 17-3 Big Ten record for second place. Sheffield replaced nearly his entire starting rotation, including four All-Americans from a season ago.
Wisconsin is 1-of-55 teams assigned to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) North Region, joining just Michigan State as a Big Ten school representing the North Region.
FULL LIST OF AVCA ALL-REGION RECIPIENTS
Sports
Women’s Volleyball Puts Three on AVCA All-East Coast Region Team – Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Three Penn State women’s volleyball players earned All-East Coast Region honors as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Tuesday. Gillian Grimes, Kennedy Martin, and Maggie Mendelson all received the award after helping the Nittany Lions qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the 45th-consecutive season.
Grimes earned All-East Coast Region for the first time following her final collegiate season. The senior was a much-needed consistent player and presence as a team captain for Penn State. She was named the Big Ten Libero of the Year thanks to her impressive passing numbers. Defensively, she finished with 441 digs (3.64/set) and contributed offensively with her 30 aces. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Grimes now turns her attention to the pro ranks as she will play for the San Diego Mojo in Major League Volleyball.
Martin put together one of the greatest statistical seasons in program history, etching her name in the Penn State record books. She set program records for the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present) in kills (634), kills/set (5.42), points (728) and points/set (6.22). She was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in her first season in the conference and now adds All-East Coast Region recognition to the two All-Southeast Region awards she won at Florida.
Mendelson closes her collegiate volleyball career with her first All-East Coast Region award. The middle blocker hit .363 with 2.19 kills/set and tallied 91 blocks to lead the team’s defense at the net. She had 10 matches with double-digit kills, nine of which came during Big Ten play. She hit .500 or better in five of those matches.
Penn State has now had a middle blocker make an all-region team in back-to-back seasons as Mendelson joins Taylor Trammell (2024) as the recipients of the award. Grimes is the first Penn State libero to make all-region since Jenna Hampton in 2021, while Martin is the team’s first right side to earn the honor since 2021.
The 2025 Penn State women’s volleyball season is presented by Musselman’s.
Sports
Ugolini Named AVCA All-Region – America East Conference
Sports
Behrend sprinter wins at Houghton December Classic
ERIE, Pa. — Penn State Behrend runner Carter Tobin won the 60-meter dash at the Houghton December Classic. He finished in 6.85 seconds — a qualifying time for the All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference.
Tobin, a sophomore from Irwin, placed third in the 200-meter dash, finishing in 22.22 seconds.
Lee Qualk, a freshman from Coal Center, placed third in the triple jump, clearing a distance of 7.13 meters.
In the women’s events, the 4×200 relay team — Anna Buck, Caroline McDevitt, Abigail Falk and Ruby Lormejuste — placed third, finishing in 1:54.41.
Behrend’s basketball, swimming and diving and wrestling teams also were in action last week. Here are the scores and highlights:
Men’s basketball
- Penn State Behrend 69, Carlow 53
- Penn State Behrend 75, La Roche 71
Jacob Dunkle, a freshman from Washington, scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds against La Roche. Dolan Waldo, a senior from Pittsburgh, scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Women’s basketball
- Penn State Behrend 94, Carlow 38
- La Roche 68, Penn State Behrend 64
Alaina Fabin, a sophomore from Indiana, scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against La Roche. Emma Marsteller, a sophomore from Sandy Lake, scored 21 points and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against Carlow.
Men’s swimming and diving
- Penn State Behrend 129, Allegheny 70
Behrend’s 200 medley relay team — Nevin Rutherford, Evan Tritt, Nicolin Pierce and Michael Kali — won, finishing in 1:45.52. Isaac Stoeckle, a sophomore from Pittsburgh, won the 1,000 freestyle, finishing in 10:57.86. Kyle Malec, a freshman from Edinboro, won the diving events; he earned 198.35 points in the 1-meter event and 195.25 points in the 3-meter event.
Women’s swimming and diving
- Penn State Behrend 154, Allegheny 106
Kaitlyn True, a freshman from Denton, Texas, won the 100 freestyle (59.42) and the 100 breaststroke (1:14.31). Izzy Sheridan, a senior from Orefield, won the 100 backstroke, finishing in 1:07.79. Rylee Ondrejko, a freshman from Washington, won the diving events; she earned 139.80 points in the 1-meter event and 150.20 points in the 3-meter event.
Wrestling
- Fifth (of 14 teams) at the RIT Invitational
Mason Savitz, a freshman from Corry, won the 165-pound weight class. He finished the tournament 5-0, with one fall and two major decisions.
Scores, updates and video links for Penn State Behrend athletics are posted at psblions.com.
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