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Garmin Ltd. has onboarded Indian triathlete Kaustubh Radkar as the brand ambassador of its fitness segment. While Radkar has been involved with the company as a coach, he will now be the face of the fitness segment like running, cycling and swimming and devices like smartwatches, bike computers, etc.
Radkar is an Ironman certified coach and is the first and only Indian to complete the Ironman Triathlon on 30 occasions, the company said. In 2017 and 2022, he was the only Indian to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii and in St. George, Utah.
Having studied and worked at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD (USA), he was the fastest Indian at the Comrades Ultra Marathon in 2016 and holds the record for the fastest debut for an Indian at Ultraman Florida.
He was also a former Indian national swimming champion from 1995 to 2000. The Ultraman triathlon is a three-day event that includes 10 km of swimming, 423 km of cycling, and 84.4 km of running (for a total of 517.5 km) carried out over three days with a 12-hour cut-off on each day.
Radkar has also been chosen as one of the Fit India Ambassadors, as part of the government’s Fit India Movement which began in 2019. The movement’s goal is to lead the country down a road of fitness and wellness, transforming India into a fit society.
Sky Chen, director of Garmin Southeast Asia and India said, “We are thrilled to make him the face of our fitness segment in India and we feel he truly embodies everything we stand for. We are confident that he and his achievements will inspire the young generation and future athletes in India to train hard and reach new heights in sports."
Radkar said, “As an Ironman triathlete, I need to constantly train across multiple disciplines, i.e. running, swimming and cycling, and I’ve always depended upon my devices for my training and fitness. I believe in what they have to offer and that is why I stand with them today."
According to ResearchAndMarkets, the Indian sports apparel market was valued $498.68 million in FY2020 and is expected to show a growth of 16.06% CAGR.