Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ONLINE registration for the 15th edition of the Bonaqua Troutbeck Africa Triathlon Cup set for Nyanga on Saturday will close on Thursday, with organisers working tirelessly to stage a worldclass event.
Presently, 32 elite athletes, both male and female from across the world have registered for the continental showpiece that will run concurrently with the Junior Africa Cup.
Triathlon Zimbabwe is impressed with the start lists for the elite and junior events which they report are growing by day. Athletes from Chile, Austria, Kazakhstan, Togo, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine, Bermuda, Finland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Romania, Japan as well as Guam have sent in entries and organisers expect more to register.
Most of the elite participants head to Zimbabwe coming from an “Africa circuit” that has seen them racing in at Maselspoort and Gqeberha in South Africa and also took part at the Africa Triathlon Cup Swakopmund in Namibia at the weekend.
Giving an update on preparations for the continental competition sponsored by Coca-Cola through their Bonaqua water brand, Carol Pakenham, the Triathlon Association of Zimbabwe secretary general said:
“If you have not registered yet – online entries close on Thursday 30th March – please get on to the website now to submit your entry.
“The online portals will close at 5.00pm on Thursday 30th March. Late entries will be accepted in person at Troutbeck until 4.00pm on Friday 31st March. No further entries will be accepted.”
Zimbabwe’s Olympic hopeful Andie Kuipers will be a notable absentee, meaning that the country will not have representation in the elite category.
Zimbabwe will pin their hopes on Duwan Botha, Mandlenkosi Mthethwa, Matipa Mawere, Anje van As, Nicole Madya, Nkosinomusa Mthethwa and Makanaka Mawere who will be racing in the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup. — @ZililoR
Sidumisile Mabena