Azerbaijan is set to enter a new chapter in its triathlon history on 5 September, when Baku hosts the ALUFAR IRONMAN 70.3 Baku for the first time.The inaugural event will bring around 1,500 athletes from 62 countries to the Azerbaijani capital, including 123 competitors representing Azerbaijan.Athletes will face the traditional IRONMAN 70.3 challenge of a 1.9-kilometre swim, a 90-kilometre cycling course and a 21.1-kilometre run. The swim will take place in the Caspian Sea, while the cycling and running stages will take competitors through Baku and along its waterfront.For Azerbaijan, however, the event represents much more than the arrival of a major international triathlon. It is the latest milestone in a story that began with individual athletes representing the country on the world stage.
The journey began with Firdovsi Karimov
In 2016, Firdovsi Karimov became the first Azerbaijani to complete a full-distance IRONMAN, achieving the feat in Vichy, France.
His achievement was particularly significant because Karimov had no professional sporting background before taking on the challenge. He began preparing for one of the world's toughest endurance events virtually from scratch.
There was also an additional source of motivation: Karimov was the only athlete at the event representing Azerbaijan.
That made the race a deeply personal experience, with the Azerbaijani flag becoming a symbol of the responsibility he felt throughout the competition.“I felt the support of my family and friends, and I felt that the whole country was behind me. I ran the final 300 metres holding the Azerbaijani flag in my hands, and I dedicated my finish to my country.”
Karimov's historic achievement came at a time when triathlon was still a relatively small community in Azerbaijan. Over the following years, more Azerbaijani athletes became involved in the sport and began competing internationally.
A decade later, 123 Azerbaijani athletes are preparing to compete on home soil at the country's first IRONMAN 70.3 event.
For Karimov, the Baku race also fulfils a personal ambition that dates back to his first IRONMAN.
After competing in Vichy, he hoped that Azerbaijan would one day host an event from the series.
That moment has now arrived. “If Azerbaijani triathletes previously had to travel abroad to represent their country at IRONMAN events, now Azerbaijan itself is hosting a race from the world series for the first time. We always raised the Azerbaijani flag wherever we competed in IRONMAN races. Now IRONMAN itself will know Azerbaijan as a country hosting these competitions.”
Rabia Orujova follows with another historic milestone
Six years after Karimov's achievement, Azerbaijan recorded another landmark moment.
In 2022, Rabia Orujova became the first Azerbaijani woman to complete a full-distance IRONMAN, adding another significant milestone to the country's growing triathlon history.
For Orujova, the achievement was the result of years of training, discipline and perseverance.“For me, it was not simply about crossing the finish line, but the result of enormous effort, discipline and belief in myself. When I crossed the finish line, I realised that I had become the first woman from Azerbaijan to complete an IRONMAN. It was a moment of immense pride, not only for myself but also for my beautiful country Azerbaijan.”
Orujova believes the experience also demonstrated that many of the limits people face are psychological rather than physical.
Now, four years after her historic finish, she will watch Azerbaijan host its first IRONMAN 70.3 event. “I am very happy that Azerbaijan is becoming part of the global triathlon map. This is a great opportunity for the development of the sport and for attracting new athletes.”
She also hopes the event will encourage more women in Azerbaijan to take up triathlon and set themselves new sporting goals.“When a woman sees another woman who has managed to overcome demanding training, doubts and fatigue and ultimately cross the IRONMAN finish line, she begins to believe that she can do it too.”
A new chapter for Azerbaijani triathlon
The arrival of IRONMAN 70.3 in Baku marks a significant step forward for a sport that has developed considerably in Azerbaijan over the past decade.
The inaugural race will place Baku on the international IRONMAN 70.3 calendar and bring thousands of athletes, supporters and visitors to the city. The event will also offer qualification opportunities for the 2027 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in the United States, with the top 25 male and female finishers earning qualification.
The main race on 5 September will be accompanied by additional events as part of IRONMAN Week, including IRONKIDS and a 5-kilometre Fun Run.
For Karimov, who carried Azerbaijan's flag across the finish line in France ten years ago, and Orujova, who became the country's first Ironwoman six years later, the significance of the Baku event is clear.Their historic finishes came abroad.This time, the world is coming to Azerbaijan.The ALUFAR IRONMAN 70.3 Baku is organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Triathlon Federation and Baku City Circuit Operations Company.
