By Ranvi Paul
If you ever find yourself at Thames Turbo Triathlon Club on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or even a Saturday, you’ll probably spot Akshat Pruthi powering through the water, pounding the pavement or even pushing pedals with his quiet intensity. At just 11 years old, Akshat isn’t just participating – he’s living and breathing the sport.
His week is a blur of movement. It begins on Monday with a gentle run at Hampton’s cross-country, readying him for the busy six days ahead. Tuesday, the pace picks up. TTTC swimming demands focus and stamina, with the young triathlete swimming 1.5 kilometres – no small feat for someone his age. Wednesday brings a fast-paced cross-country run, and Thursday another swim session. Friday brings a lighter run, with Akshat going eagerly to Hampton’s Cross-Country Club at lunch time. But weekends? Thats when Akshat goes full throttle.
Saturday is his long run day – 6 to 12 kilometres at least – and if he is not completely wiped out, then Sunday is park run and another stamina session.
“But it’s only if I am not too dead,’’ he joked. It’s the type of humour that only someone who is truly exhausted can pull off.
But Akshat isn’t just training – he’s competing. And he’s making waves. In TTTC duathlon he clinched a narrow 2nd place with a run time that turned heads in his age group. He’s raced in three aquathlons, going up against teams from across London. In one of them, the young triathlete, aged only 10 at the time, placed 7th against a 12-13 age group category. That kind of result doesn’t come from luck. It comes from grit.
One race in particular stands out. Akshat was placed at the back of the pack after a tough swim, trailing by 2 whole minutes. Most kids would have panicked. But Akshat didn’t – he dug deep. I interviewed him and he said, “I gave everything I could in that run”. And it showed. He surged forward in that race from 56th to 2nd with a 7:59 2k run time. One of the fastest in his club’s history for that age group. Not bad for someone who started off last.
Ask him about his medals, and he’ll laugh.
“I can’t find any right now,” he says. But it’s clear, to him, the real prize isn’t metal – it’s momentum. It’s the feeling of clawing your way back, pushing past the pain and giving everything you’ve got.
Akshat’s story isn’t just about sport – it’s about character. He’s the kind of athlete who doesn’t just train hard but also smart. He knows when to push himself, when to recover and how to keep going while everything hurts. He’s got a mindset of someone far beyond his years.
And while his schedule might sound exhausting, Akshat wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“It’s tiring”, he admitted, “but rewarding”.
It’s the quiet pride of knowing you showed up, gave your all and left nothing behind.
For anyone watching from the sidelines, Akshat Pruthi is more than just a promising young triathlete. He’s proof that passion and perseverance can take you far even when you start at the back of the pack.
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