TRIATHLETES EYE QUALIFICATION FOR SA CHAMPS
IT was back to action for most of the triathletes seeking to represent the nation at the upcoming South Africa Junior and Youth Championships when competition resumed yesterday at Mount Pleasant Pool after the festive break.
Triathlon Zimbabwe had a full programme lined up with various events on offer.
However, the limelight was on the youth and junior triathletes competing in selection race number six to accumulate ranking points for qualification for the South Africa Championships scheduled for March.
In the juniors’ category, favourites Rohnan Nicholson and Callum Smith were first and second respectively, with Duwan Botha coming in third.
Nicole Madya was the only participant in the girls’ section.
In the youth boys, Zander Botha came first. Xander Stevenson was second and in third place was Mathew Hildebrand.
In the girls’ section, Rachel O’Donoghue was the first to cross the finish line followed by Olivia Beamish. Bianca Van De Linde was third.
O’Donoghue and Beamish are leading in terms of the points, and the former said it has been a tough season, but is hopeful of making it for the South Africa Championships.
“It’s been tough. The training is hard, but it’s been so enjoyable. I love racing, it’s so much fun.
“I am very happy (with the progress). I am looking forward to the South Africa Championships. It’s going to be a hard race,” said O’Donoghue.
O’Donoghue won a gold medal at the championships last year and will be hoping to repeat the same feat this year as she has posted some impressive performances this season.
Beamish, who competed in the South Africa Championships for the first time last year, is hoping to make the team for the Africa Championships.
“I am determined to at least try and make it to the Africa Championships. Sadly, it’s not going too well, but I am going to keep on training. I am going to get there eventually.
“I really want to get there because I want to go to the Africa Championships. That’s my goal,” Beamish said.
In the junior section, Nicholson has had a good season so far and appears to be on his way to earning a place in the South Africa Championships.
Speaking after yesterday’s event, Nicholson said he is hoping to build on his performance going forward.
Besides the South Africa Championships, Nicholson is looking at competing in the Troutbeck event next month.
“It feels good because now I have got a new plan and I can push more and I have got my new time, so now I can work on how to get better, how to improve, (and) how to keep going.
“So I think that we just have to be out here, we have got to push and try to get our times done to be able to go to these big events,” said Nicholson.
Smith said being the first season competing in the juniors category, it has not been easy.
“The season has been good. It’s my first season that I have upped to a new level now, I went from super sprint to the sprint.
“So I am new to these kinds of distances, so (I am still) getting used to it. The training has increased a lot so I am actually finding this season a little tough. But I am going to get used to it,” said Smith.
Yesterday’s event also featured a schools’ competition as the national association takes the sport to the grassroots.