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Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub
A determined Andie Kuipers made a golden return to competitive racing, clinching the Under-23 women’s title at the Africa Triathlon Championships on Saturday in emphatic style.
Competing in her first major race of the year following an Achilles injury layoff, Kuipers delivered a commanding performance in Gqeberha, crossing the finish line in 2 hours 17 minutes and 18 seconds to take gold – and restore her confidence after a challenging few months.
“I am really happy and relieved with how the first one went,” said Kuipers.
“My main two goals were to win the Under-23 title and to get within eight percent of the winner’s time because that’s how you get ranking points. I’m really happy that I was able to achieve those two things.”
Despite not being at peak running fitness, Kuipers held her own in the gruelling standard-distance triathlon – comprising a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run – and placed fifth overall in a combined elite and Under-23 field.
South Africa’s Shanae Williams claimed the elite crown in 2:07:32, leading a strong local charge. Fellow South African Bridget Theunissen was second in 2:09:59, followed by the Netherlands’ Marit Van Den Berg (2:13:08) and Jordan Tissink of South Africa (2:13:15).
Kuipers, who missed last month’s Bonaqua Africa Cup Troutbeck due to injury, admitted that she went into Saturday’s race without ideal run preparation. However, the experience gave her a newfound sense of possibility.
“It feels extremely reassuring that even if I can’t run in training, I can still make up for it on my swim and my bike,” she said. “If anything, this injury has really helped elevate my swim and my bike to the level I needed to be at to be competitive.”
With her eyes now set on the World Championships in Australia in October, Kuipers is hopeful that her strong showing in Gqeberha will open more doors.
“This means I could potentially go to the World Championships, which would be huge. It also means I can get into more prestigious races over the course of the year, just with the points being so high at Africa Championships.”
For now, the multi-talented athlete will balance her sporting ambitions with a new professional chapter – a managerial coaching role with Strada in Kuwait.
“After this race, I’m heading to Kuwait to work for a company called Strada. I’ll be coaching and taking up a managerial position there for the next few months,” she said.
She hopes to compete at the African Sprint Championships in Egypt in July, although the rest of her racing calendar remains uncertain due to work commitments. Still, her self-belief has never been stronger.
“I really believe I can be the best in Africa in the next few years,” said Kuipers. “Even with not having ideal preparation, my progress has been massive. If you look at me two years ago, I’m a completely different athlete. I hope that in another six months, I’ll be even better.”
Zimbabwe also had several promising performances in the junior and youth categories at the continental event.
In the Youth section, Zander Botha and Rachel O’Donoghue stood out with gold and silver medals in the boys and girls events respectively. In the Junior Boys race, Callum Smith and Stanley Chasakara placed 14th and 16th, while age-group competitor Glenn Morgan also flew the Zimbabwean flag.
The Africa Triathlon Championships concluded yesterday, but for Kuipers and Zimbabwe’s rising stars, the journey has just begun.
Online Reporter