Punch Gunk has confirmed its sponsorship of endurance athlete Zeinab Rezaie, who is getting set to become the first-ever female athlete from Afghanistan to compete in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship – set for St George, Utah, on October 28-29, 2022.
Pain relief brand Punch Gunk is backing Rezaie and non-profit She Can Tri as they advocate for women’s rights, equality, and the opportunity for female athletes in conflict zones to participate in sport.
“As a female athlete myself, I commend Zeinab not just for her amazing achievements on the race course, but for the stand she is taking against all those who seek to limit women in the classroom, in the workplace, and in sport,” said Nadene McIntyre, co-founder of Punch Gunk.
“Punch Gunk is thrilled to be a part of Zeinab’s journey to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and can’t wait to see her cross the finish line.”
Rezaie started training with She Can Tri in Afghanistan in 2019. The non-profit also took her to training camps in Europe, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
She Can Tri provides professional training, equipment, and event entries to female triathletes in countries like Afghanistan and Kenya, helping them step into the spotlight and promote positive change in their home countries.
Amid the pandemic and the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, She Can Tri’s team has remained adaptable and persevered to see Rezaie toe the starting line in St George. Alongside Punch Gunk, All The Little Ones Foundation, Ariv Wealth, One January, Saenz Mediation and Arbitration Services, Vineyard Herbals, and Zoot Sports are also sponsoring Rezaie.
“When we recruited four Afghan women to train as their country’s first triathletes, we had no idea that a worldwide pandemic and government takeover would be added to the mix – as if training in a country where women already have to struggle for basic rights was not challenging enough,” said Jackie Faye, founder of She Can Tri.
“From day one, we said we wanted to go to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and, four years later, it will be a reality.”
This October is not the first time that Rezaie has helped to make history. She was the first Afghan woman to finish any IRONMAN event, completing IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai on February 7, 2020. She is also a marathoner and ultramarathoner with a running resume that includes completing a 250k ultramarathon in the Mongolian Gobi Desert in 2018.
www.PunchGunk.com
www.SheCanTri.org
