Athletes race to make Youth Olympic Games cut

Ellina Mhlanga

Zimpapers Sports Hub

ZIMBABWE’S pair of Rachel O’Donoghue and Zander Botha will get their campaign to try and secure the country slots for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games underway this weekend when they take part in an eligibility race in Kilifi, Kenya.

The two athletes are already in Kenya where they are attending a World Triathlon Development Regional Camp that got underway yesterday.

The camp organised by World Triathlon and Africa Triathlon is targeting potential YOG participants.

And it will end with the eligibility race scheduled for Saturday, then the mixed relay the following day.

Other countries represented are Egypt, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia and hosts Kenya.

Botha and O’Donoghue were accompanied by national coach Pamela Fulton and speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub, she expressed confidence the two will rise to the occasion when they take to the course on Saturday.

“The eligibility race, it is divided into the super sprint race, which Zander and Rachel will be competing in because they are 15 and Rachel’s only got, I think there is three females in the Under-15 group and for Zander there is about 11.

“I personally believe that both have very good chances of winning the super sprint event.

“Rachel, it will be a tough race again with the South African girls, so interesting to see how those two fight it out.

“But Zander, he is on top of his game, probably don’t know too many of the other athletes, there might be someone in there who will really challenge him but interesting to see.

“And then some of the older kids who are also eligible for YOG might be racing in the Sprint Cup event…not sure who they are yet.

“But I think it’s going to be a really, really good weekend,” said Fulton.

There are 32 slots for males and an equal number for females at the YOG but it’s not yet clear how many will each continent get.

The focus is on countries getting their athletes ready and ensuring they stand a chance when the slots are finalised.

The YOG will take place between October and November next year in Dakar, Senegal.

Yesterday the upcoming triathletes had a chance to go through some of the basics such as bike assembling, bike skills including cornering and gearing, transitions mounting and dismounting as well as warm up drills.

They continue with the programme today when the camp focus on the swim, run, and an Open Water Swim session.

They go for course familiarisation tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s race.

The next eligibility race is scheduled for early next year.

Triathlon Zimbabwe has put in place a six-member squad to try and earn the slots for the Youth Olympics to be staged on the African soil for the fist time since the inaugural Games in Singapore, in 2010.

The other members are Olivia Beamish, Matthew Hildebrand, Ethan Donzva and Xander Stevenson.

However, for the ongoing camp, each federation is only allowed to send two participants one male and one female.

The eligibility race is open to other interested athletes, but Zimbabwe will have just two athletes due to costs.