Manipur's high-endurance ultra-cyclist John Khammuanlal Gwite has made history in Poland by finishing the ‘ Race Around Poland’ in 237 hours and joining an elite club of ultra-cycling legends like Christoph Strasser and Marko Baloh, TOI reported.
At a time when Manipur is in turmoil and uncertainty, Gwite has displayed tremendous mental strength and shown that Indian riders can match the best in this gruelling sport. He became the first Indian to complete the competition within 10 days, breaking the previous Indian record 274 hours.
Gwite had completed the iconic ‘ Paris-Brest-Paris’ in an impressive 59 hours two years ago. He now aims to participate in the ‘ Race Across America (Raam)’, a 3,000-mile ultra-endurance cycling race across the US.
Ultra-cycling is a sport where the cyclist goes solo without team cars, external nutrition or mechanical support. The Poland race is considered as one of Europe’s most unforgiving endurance tests. It is an unsupported ride spanning 3,600 km and an elevation gain of over 31,000 metres.
This year's event was also the World Ultra Cycling Championships, with over 60 elite riders from across the globe.
“The climbs were brutal with over 30,000 metres of elevation, and we were not prepared for the chilling cold at night,” Gwite told TOI.
“I wasn’t carrying any winter gear, and in the late-night hours, it was the toughest. I had to modify my strategy, get polythene from local shops and make it into a vest and knee warmers. That small improvisation probably saved my ride,” he said.
The 37-year-old considers the finish as the culmination of years of quiet, gruelling preparation. In 2023, Gwite finished ‘Paris-Brest-Paris’, called the Olympics of ultra-cycling, covering 1,229 km in just 59 hours to secure a global rank of 248 among nearly 9,000 cyclists.
In 2022, he completed the ‘London-Edinburgh-London’ ride, a 1,535 km in 110 hours, and cemented his credentials as one of India’s most accomplished ultra-distance cyclists.
Over the last decade, Gwite has 19 Super Randonneur titles, completing some of the harshest rides across the subcontinent, including the ‘Trans-Himalaya 1200’ and the ‘Wagah-to-Kanyakumari’ expeditions.
“End of the day, it’s about how one prioritises life,” he said. “It doesn’t help thinking constantly of issues back home, but to keep oneself healthy is the best way to help my society and country.”
With the extraordinary achievement in Poland, Gwite qualified for the iconic Raam, which is considered as the pinnacle of ultra-cycling.
The challenge ahead is as much logistical as physical. “The ‘Race Across America’ is super expensive. Unless you get proper support, it’s difficult to do it on your own. I have qualified and the idea is to definitely go. But this is not a Rs 10 or Rs 20 lakh budget. You need a proper crew including a doctor, nurse, and physiotherapist. For Raam, we can’t randomly pick people; we need a team that understands the race,” Gwite said.
At a time when Manipur is in turmoil and uncertainty, Gwite has displayed tremendous mental strength and shown that Indian riders can match the best in this gruelling sport. He became the first Indian to complete the competition within 10 days, breaking the previous Indian record 274 hours.
Gwite had completed the iconic ‘ Paris-Brest-Paris’ in an impressive 59 hours two years ago. He now aims to participate in the ‘ Race Across America (Raam)’, a 3,000-mile ultra-endurance cycling race across the US.
Ultra-cycling is a sport where the cyclist goes solo without team cars, external nutrition or mechanical support. The Poland race is considered as one of Europe’s most unforgiving endurance tests. It is an unsupported ride spanning 3,600 km and an elevation gain of over 31,000 metres.
This year's event was also the World Ultra Cycling Championships, with over 60 elite riders from across the globe.
“The climbs were brutal with over 30,000 metres of elevation, and we were not prepared for the chilling cold at night,” Gwite told TOI.
“I wasn’t carrying any winter gear, and in the late-night hours, it was the toughest. I had to modify my strategy, get polythene from local shops and make it into a vest and knee warmers. That small improvisation probably saved my ride,” he said.
The 37-year-old considers the finish as the culmination of years of quiet, gruelling preparation. In 2023, Gwite finished ‘Paris-Brest-Paris’, called the Olympics of ultra-cycling, covering 1,229 km in just 59 hours to secure a global rank of 248 among nearly 9,000 cyclists.
In 2022, he completed the ‘London-Edinburgh-London’ ride, a 1,535 km in 110 hours, and cemented his credentials as one of India’s most accomplished ultra-distance cyclists.
Over the last decade, Gwite has 19 Super Randonneur titles, completing some of the harshest rides across the subcontinent, including the ‘Trans-Himalaya 1200’ and the ‘Wagah-to-Kanyakumari’ expeditions.
“End of the day, it’s about how one prioritises life,” he said. “It doesn’t help thinking constantly of issues back home, but to keep oneself healthy is the best way to help my society and country.”
With the extraordinary achievement in Poland, Gwite qualified for the iconic Raam, which is considered as the pinnacle of ultra-cycling.
The challenge ahead is as much logistical as physical. “The ‘Race Across America’ is super expensive. Unless you get proper support, it’s difficult to do it on your own. I have qualified and the idea is to definitely go. But this is not a Rs 10 or Rs 20 lakh budget. You need a proper crew including a doctor, nurse, and physiotherapist. For Raam, we can’t randomly pick people; we need a team that understands the race,” Gwite said.
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