Retired Air Force pilot Captain Vinod Augustine and Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas found themselves pursuing the same extraordinary goal on the roads of Goa: conquering the gruelling Ironman 70.3 challenge.
For Augustine, a Kochi native, one of the most memorable moments was cycling alongside the High Court judge, whose determination left a lasting impression. For him, the moment was a reminder that age and demanding professional responsibilities need not stand in the way of extraordinary personal ambitions. The judge had quite a story of his own.
Yet, on November 1, he was among nearly 1,650 participants who took on the challenge at Miramar, Goa. Despite jellyfish stings during the swim, punishing cycling climbs and the exhaustion of a half-marathon, the judge crossed the finish line, completing the race in 8 hours, 46 minutes and 44 seconds.
“It was wonderful to be riding alongside the judge and seeing his passion for endurance sports,” Augustine recalled. “Immediately after the accomplishment, the judge moved away, and I couldn’t catch up with him after the challenge,” he said.
Kurian’s work in the court has also made headlines in the past. His ruling that the Kerala High Court can quash an ECIR filed by the Enforcement Directorate, his direction to include POCSO awareness in the school curriculum, and rejection of a plea for monitoring the ED and customs case of gold smuggling through diplomatic channels have been among the most prominent. For the retired pilot, the most rewarding part wasn’t simply earning his first Ironman medal. It was meeting people from different walks of life, hearing their stories and discovering what drove them to push beyond their limits.
“My roots are also from Kochi and it felt special,” he said.
