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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
TRIATHLON Zimbabwe national coach Pamela Fulton believes they have put in all the necessary work to prepare the youth and junior team for the Africa Championships taking place this weekend in Agadir, Morocco.
Zimbabwe will have 11 athletes at the competition, including United States-based Andie Kuipers, who will compete in the Under-23 section. The rest will compete in the junior and youth categories.
Fulton, who has been working with the team for the championships, expressed satisfaction with their build-up to the event.
“I was a bit concerned about a couple of the athletes, thinking maybe they haven’t trained enough but at last weekend’s event, they proved me wrong. They have proved themselves that they have actually been training hard and they can pull up on the day. “So those athletes I was concerned about really did well last weekend,” said Fulton.
The team left for Morocco on Sunday via Doha, and is expected to arrive in Morocco today.
The competition gets underway on Saturday with the individual events on Sunday they have the mixed relay event.
“So we will have three days beforehand, where they will get to see the course, and go over the course, get to train in the sea.
“Some of them have never been on the sea, some of them have never raced in the sea. So that’s going to be a really interesting challenge for them.
“I know Anje is a fantastic swimmer but she has never raced in the sea. So I think she is a little bit apprehensive about the sea aspect. But in my day when I was racing, I was so much better in the sea than in the pool and that’s what I try and tell my athletes, it’s different, (but) go out there, have fun.
“The sea, it gives a different ball game to the event and those who are weaker swimmers might just come forward and be really strong in the sea. It all comes down to learning how to catch a wave, and I think that’s where Zimbabwe falls back.
“We have never had that practice where we can learn how to catch a wave and that can make a big difference . . . Coming out the water I suppose to getting swept back again, trying to swim to get back onto the beach again. So they are going to really love it, that’s a totally different environment for them,” said Fulton.
George Ascott and Matipa Mawere are going to compete in the Junior Men Sprint.
Makanaka Mawere, Emma Lidsba and Brooklyn Tippett are set to participate in the Junior Women Sprint.
Rohnan Nicholson and Callum Smith are going to take part in the Youth Under-15 boys while the trio of Anje van As, Tayleigh Taylor and Nicole Madya compete in the girls’ section.
Van As, who won a gold medal in the Youth Under-15 girls last year, said they have had a good build-up to the event in the last months.
“It’s been really good. The training has been progressive and hopefully it will pay off.
“So we have been doing lots of like work sessions for biking and running in the heat to prepare for the weather in Morocco, which is really hot and humid.
“We had the duathlon championships, which really helped a lot to see where we are. And we had a selection race last weekend to just gauge how well we could do possibly in Agadir. “I think I am fairly ready.”
The relay team will be finalised after the individual events on Saturday.
Online Reporter