IIT-Madras's student is India's youngest female Ironman. Who is Renee Noronha?

Economic Times

16-07-2025

Synopsis
Renee Noronha, a 19-year-old IIT Madras student, has achieved a remarkable feat. She is now India's youngest female Ironman. Renee completed the Ironman Hamburg European Championship in an impressive 14 hours. This includes a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycling, and a 42.2 km marathon. She balanced this with her studies. Earlier, she finished an Ironman in New Zealand.
Renee Noronha is studying B.Sc in Data Science and Applications in IIT-Madras. (Pic credits- @renee.noronha) At just 19, most college students are still figuring out their next exam schedule or summer internship. But Renee Noronha, a student of IIT Madras, has already conquered one of the world's most gruelling endurance challenges — not once, but twice. She's now officially India's youngest female Ironman, and her journey from a gymnast in Mumbai to the finish line of the Ironman Hamburg European Championship is nothing short of extraordinary.Renee completed the triathlon — a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycling, and a 42.2 km full marathon, all within a tight 17-hour window — in just 14 hours, shaving off over two and a half hours from her previous time at Ironman New Zealand. What's more impressive? She did it while balancing her academic load at one of India's most competitive institutes.Renee's story didn't start with triathlons. She was a professional artistic gymnast from the age of six to sixteen. Her transition to endurance sports happened somewhat unexpectedly after she participated in the Ironman Kids event in Goa at 16 and finished first in her age group. 'At first, it seemed like a sprint,' she told TOI, 'and I felt like doing more.'
More turned out to be an Olympic-distance triathlon. And soon, a full Ironman. In 2023, at just 18 years and 49 days, Renee became the youngest Indian to finish a full Ironman in New Zealand. But it was in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this month, that she felt she truly pushed her limits.Speaking to her followers on Instagram, Renee recounted the magic of hearing those four iconic words: 'You. Are. An. Ironman.' After crossing the finish line, she was handed her medal — a moment she described as 'the best of the entire day.' She met her dad, took photos, proudly held up the Indian flag, and made calls to family back home.
She even got her medal engraved with her name and finish time — a personal keepsake that marked the culmination of months of sweat, pain, and persistence. A post-race massage turned into a sweet chat with a volunteer, who later asked Renee to leave her a message in a notebook — a moment Renee gladly immortalised. The next day, she hit the mall, waited 45 minutes for what she calls 'the best wagyu doner kebab,' met her coach for celebratory gelato, and headed to the airport.
At Hamburg, Renee finished 15th in her age group (18-24) with a swim time of 1:30:33, a 6:58:54 bike ride, and a 5:16:45 marathon.
Renee is currently based in London, where her family moved last year, but she continues to study remotely at IIT Madras, pursuing a B.Sc degree in Data Science and Applications. Her roots, however, remain Goan — with family from Santa Cruz — and her ambitions stretch far beyond conventional limits.In 2023, at just 18 years and 49 days old, Renee Noronha became the youngest Indian woman to complete a full Ironman, achieving this feat at the Ironman New Zealand race. Battling cold winds and rain near the finish line, she impressively secured fourth place in her age group. With two Ironman finishes before turning 20, Renee has firmly established herself as a rising talent in the world of global endurance sports.
( Originally published on Jul 14, 2025 )