Triathletes aim for more time on the podium
● Focusing on their own weaknesses, South Africa’s top two triathletes begin their trek to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the chilly waters of Table Bay next Sunday.
Henri Schoeman and Richard Murray, third and fourth at the 2016 Rio Games, return to the Discovery Triathlon World Cup in Cape Town, where Murray won last year’s edition ahead of Schoeman.
The season-opener in the Mother City is a sprint — the 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run is half the Olympic distance and it benefits Murray a little more.
Murray, a weaker swimmer, faces a smaller deficit getting out of the water, while Schoeman, a superb swimmer, is slower on the run.
“I’ve got to work on my top-end [running] speed,” said Schoeman.
Of the first five men in Rio, Schoeman’s 31min 50sec effort in the 10km run was the slowest by far; Murray’s 30:34 was the quickest of the entire field.
In Cape Town last year Schoeman was five seconds quicker on the run, but only because Murray incurred a 10-second penalty for not putting his cycling helmet into the allotted box at the second transition.
Swimming at speed
The clash this year will also be a useful dress rehearsal for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, in April, when the sprint distance will be in effect for the first time at the showpiece.
“I think it may benefit the runners,” warned Schoeman. At Glasgow 2014, Murray took the bronze behind the English Brownlee brothers, and then teamed up with Schoeman, Kate Roberts and Gillian Sanders for silver in the relay.
Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, first and second in Rio and Glasgow, will be in Gold Coast too.
“I suppose the sprint does suit me a little more, but I have to up my swimming a bit,” Murray said from his training camp in Windhoek this week.
Murray has switched coaches, joining up with the Dutch team that includes his girlfriend. “Maybe a bit of change can be a good thing. Learning new things can be difficult, but I thought I’d better do it now before it gets too close to Tokyo.”
Schoeman is pleased to have the chance to assess himself next week. “It’s very nice to have the race in Cape Town, to see where you are and see what aspects you need to tweak.”
Eyeing the rankings
Schoeman, whose brother Riaan won a Commonwealth Games medal in the swimming pool at Delhi 2010, had a relatively quiet 2017 after the high of 2016, which he capped by winning the World Series grand final in Mexico.
“Last year I wanted to have another big year and keep the momentum going. I was trying new things — more World Cups, invitations and grands prix.
“I think my focus was all over the place,” admitted Schoeman, who ended the year 15th on the rankings. “I didn’t have a good ranking, but I had some good races, just not in the World Series. This year is going to be different.”
He had a less than ideal start to 2018 when allegations of doping were made against him, and even though he was quickly cleared, the fracas still ended up being “a distraction”.
He expects qualifying points for Tokyo 2020 to start in May.
Murray took time off last year for off-road triathlons and other “fun” pursuits, yet he still ended fourth on the rankings.
“I didn’t take it seriously and I did well. It turned out to be one of my best years.”
Now Murray plans to get more serious. “I want to try get on the podium more often.”
Maybe a bit of change can be a good thing. Learning new things can be difficult Richard Murray Triathlete