In October 2024, Mariya stood at the starting line of the Ironman 70.3 Malaysia, her heart pounding with anticipation. The 1.2-mile ocean swim, the 56-mile bike ride, and the 13.1-mile run ahead were daunting, but Mariya was ready. Her journey is not only remarkable for her personal achievement but also for how she has defied societal expectations and broken through barriers, particularly as a young woman coming from a conservative family.

In a nation that lives and breathes cricket, it is ever so difficult for other sports to stand out and make its own position in the country’s sporting culture. Another factor is the mindset of the sports industry as the focus given to the non-cricket genres of sports and its athletes is predominantly dependent on success.

The Daily Star (DS): You have produced the most promising results by any Bangladeshi in Ironman competitions so far and you have been doing this for years now. What’s next?

Model-actor Milind Soman, who turns 50 in November this year, has won the Ironman title at a triathlon held in Zurich in Switzerland on July 19 in which over 2,000 participants this year included seven Indians reports The Indian Express.

The latest big-screen offering based on the iconic Marvel comics characters raked in a staggering $187.7 million in its first weekend.