By TFG
February 15, 2013 will always remain as a historic day for all the runners (past, present and future). It was the day when a small company called Total Fitness Group - TFG - led a running revolution in the Maldives. And what TFG did on that day has a profound impact on many things running-related that we see today.
Zinan, the technical director of TFG then, gave a speech at an event TFG hosted, “Celebrate Running”, in Dharubaaruge, just days before February 15, 2013. In this speech, for the first time, TFG announced that every runner in the first Coca-Cola Long Run 2013 will attach a timing chip to their shoes, which will enable them to check their times immediately after the run!
On that Friday, Maldivians and other participants proudly ran on the streets of Hulhumale, wearing that timing chip and reading their running times instantly. With this significant change to running, as the largest running event organiser in the Maldives, Dhiraagu followed TFG’s lead in their annual running event.
And ever since February 15, 2013, TFG has held to that promise by ensuring that every runner in its annual Long Run event, is provided with this technology - from timing chips on shoes, to the more recently used bib chips attached to running bibs.
Speaking about this technology, Misthoh, the managing director of TFG then, stated that timing technology made the event extremely expensive to manage. Not just expensive, but it made everything quite complicated at the time. TFG discovered many new things about transporting these equipment from India, brought in technical experts from India, and even learnt how the technology worked as well as about various alternatives available in the market. The company was determined to make it work despite facing “some nervous times”.
But today, TFG has not just learnt the technology and perfected its execution, it has even acquired timing mats and kept them as one of its major investments. TFG now also rents the timing mats to its timing partner in Thailand for their events in Singapore, India, and Dubai.
Fast forward a few years, and today TFG is yet again bringing this technology to all runners taking part in the Coca-Cola RunInAddu running festival.
All marathoners, half marathoners, 10K and 5K runners will have their bibs with a timing chip attached. All of them can see their progress immediately after the run from https://www.sportstats.asia
This coming weekend, Addu will experience a major shift in its running trends. Technology will most definitely be among the highlights of this maiden event.
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