Triathlon readies for AG
TRIATHLON coach, Pamela Fulton, has challenged her team to rise to the occasion when they take part at the 12th edition of the African Games in Morocco. Triathlon has four athletes in Team Zimbabwe for the Games set for August 16 to 31.
The team is made up of two girlsnm — Laurelle Brown and Andie Kuipers and two boys Matthew Denslow and Jordyn Jacobs.
They will be accompanied by coach Pamela Fulton.
The four athletes will compete in individual and team relay events.
Denslow and Kuipers competed at the Africa Championships two months ago and were part of the mixed relay team that won silver at the event.
“Three of them are juniors and one of them is an adult, so they will be competing, the majority of them against adults, so they are at a disadvantage there.
‘’But they have had such experience, Andie and Matt, in particular, travelling around the world racing and I do believe that Matt has a very good chance of possibly getting a bronze medal.
“It will be very tough to get a gold medal or silver because there are two Moroccan elite men.
“In the team relay, it’s the second time that we have ever competed in the team relay event.
‘’The last one was at the African Championships where we had a phenomenal race winning the silver medal.
“With regards to the girls race, I honestly do believe that Andie and possibly even Laurelle will (make the) podium.
‘’It’s going to be very hard in the men’s section because they will be competing against elite athletes. In the ladies section the competition isn’t as tough,” said Fulton.
Brown is a former youth and junior national champion.
She has previously competed at the African and World Championships and will be banking on her experience.
Kuipers and Denslow have also been on the rise and the former will be proceeding to Lausanne, Switzerland, for the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final soon after her race in Morocco.
Denslow is this weekend expected to leave for Kariba to continue with his training while the trio of Brown, Kuipers and Jacobs will be in Nyanga.
The triathlon team is expected to leave for Morocco on August 19.