Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
EXCITEMENT has heightened in Nyanga, just days before the Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup comes to life at the Troutbeck Resort, with event director Rick Fulton saying they are in the final phase of setting up the venue.
The 2026 edition of the Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup and Multi-sport Festival is scheduled for Saturday.
A total of 20 elite men and women from Austria, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, South Africa and Zimbabwe are expected to line up for the event.
“Well, all the logistics (equipment) arrived over the weekend and our team got up here on Sunday evening.
“We arrived here on Monday morning and have been busy building a venue since basically unloading all the logistics and, we have had some horrendous weather.
“There were light rains the whole of yesterday (Monday). today (yesterday) was a bit better, very windy last night.
“It’s been quite challenging from the perspective of the build-up, but we are ahead of schedule. We have managed to get on top of it all and we are progressing very nicely,” said Fulton.
Athletes have started coming in with one of the elite women participants Himeka Sato from Japan, already at the venue.
The rest are expected between today and tomorrow.
“The athlete preparation, we have already got one Japanese athlete at the hotel. She came in yesterday.
“She is up here doing a bit of acclimatising and the rest start arriving tomorrow and Thursday from the international side.
“I am happy to say that we haven’t been too badly affected by the problems in the Middle East. “It has impacted on a few athletes not being able to travel, but it’s not as bad as I thought it could have been.
“They all seem to have managed to get on to flights or alternatives to get in and, fortunately, they are coming into the region to not only do our event, but also the following weekend in Namibia.
“Some of them are already in South Africa having done last weekend’s race. So, from that side, we are quite happy,” added Fulton.
The elite men category has attracted 17 entries, while the women’s section has three entries including Zimbabwe’s Andie Kuipers.
“Certainly, the men’s field is looking very good. The women’s is looking a bit thin, which is unfortunate, but we have got Andie Kuipers racing.” The Africa Cup runs alongside the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup and this year will feature athletes from Mauritius, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe will be pinning hopes on the likes of Callum Smith and Zander Botha, who is coming from another race having participated at the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup Ebotse in South Africa over the weekend. They will be joined by Matthew Hildebrand and Zizael Manyati in the junior men.
Rachel O’Donoghue is up for the junior women’s section.
The programme for the day includes the National Championships and other supporting events such as Open Water Swim, trail run, aquathlon, Corporate Team Triathlon Challenge and Duathlon Challenge.
Fulton said the local numbers are down this year but is hoping they may get late entries leading up to Friday for the events.
“There are a variety of reasons. A lot of them are connected to school activities, which are compulsory.
“It is unfortunate but it is what it is,” he said. “We will see how it progresses and what the final numbers prove to be. But the show goes on and whether we are doing it for 20 athletes or 220, we have to put the show on and, obviously, make it work and give everybody a great experience,” Fulton said.
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