Moffat Mungazi
Takudzwa Manzero
Sports Correspondent
PREPARATIONS are underway for the 2026 Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup and Multisport Festival at Troutbeck Resort, marking its 12th consecutive year as the title sponsor of Zimbabwe’s flagship triathlon event.
This year’s event, scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday), builds on that legacy with renewed energy and an expanded vision for what Zimbabwean sport can achieve. It is the longest-running sanctioned event of this level on the African continent.
The event has a 19-year history of being staged in Zimbabwe.
In a Press statement, the organisers said: “This year, Bonaqua does not stand alone. Schweppes Zimbabwe is proud to introduce Powerade to the Zimbabwean market; a next-generation sports drink engineered to fuel athletes before, during, and after every challenge they take on. Together, Bonaqua and Powerade form a complete performance hydration portfolio – pure, trusted hydration paired with sport-specific fuel for the demands of competition. The ambition is clear – to build the most innovative and connected sports hydration portfolio in the market, and to serve every athlete – from elite competitor to weekend warrior – with exactly what their body needs to perform.”
Bonaqua’s long-term sponsorship has been central to the growth of triathlon as a discipline, driving athlete development, inspiring first-time participants, and putting Zimbabwe on the map as a destination for serious sport.
The organisers acknowledged continued support of event partners – African Sun, CFAO Motors, Cimas, EcoCash, and Rooneys.
Triathlon Zimbabwe said: “Bonaqua’s long-term sponsorship has played a central role in the growth of triathlon as a discipline in Zimbabwe, while also driving athlete development and sports tourism.
“Troutbeck has met the standards for a safe and pristine stretch of water that meets World Triathlon Water Quality standards for safe swimming. It is also the only disease- and animal-free piece of water in Zimbabwe, making it the traditional destination.”
The Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup, Troutbeck, is an international event sanctioned by World Triathlon.
The standard distance event consists of a 1 500m swim – was the longest pool distance swum at the Olympic Games before transitioning to a 40km bike – which was the normal distance for the cycle time trial at the games. The athletes then transition for the 10km run – the longest track event in athletics at the Olympic Games.
The event meets World Triathlon Event Organiser standards with regards to safety and athlete experience, and has a reputation for top-flight organisation combined with typical Zimbabwean hospitality.
The World Triathlon introduced continental cups across the five continents in 2007 to enable more Elite and U23 athletes to be able to race universally at an entry level, so that they could earn critical World Triathlon ranking points. The accumulation of these points leads to promotion to higher levels of events, which in turn lead to higher point earnings.
From the World Triathlon Development Regional Cups to World Triathlon Continental Cups, then World Triathlon Cups, before the main event, the World Triathlon Championships Series, the continental cups, such as the Troutbeck Marathon, amass 250 points in the World Triathlon Event Tier. The primary function is to enable Elite and Under 23 Athletes to gain valuable World Triathlon Ranking Points.
These events are particularly important to athletes as they “climb the ladder” to a higher level of event tier, and are also a stepping stone for elite athletes to begin the 2028 Olympic preparation process.
Online Reporter