Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub
TOP youth and junior triathletes are this weekend set to start accumulating selection ranking points for the season with the first selection race lined up at Mt Pleasant Pool.
The season took off with a fun event more than a week ago and presented some of the athletes a chance to have a feel of the course again coming from a break since the end of March.
They go a gear up this Sunday when they line up for the first full house event.
It marks the beginning of the selection races for youth and junior athletes as well as the Corporate Series.
For John Goddard set to compete at the upcoming 2026 Africa Triathlon Championships Hurghada, Egypt, it’s also platform to fine tune his preparations.
The championships will run from October 9 to 11.
Goddard will compete in the youth category at the continental event.
Triathlon Zimbabwe vice president Pamela Fulton said they are looking forward to having some of the leading youth and juniors competing on Sunday as they start building their selection ranking.
“John Goddard should be racing well as he is departing early October to compete in the Youth Africa Championships being held in Hurghada, Egypt.
“He will compete over the super-sprint distance in the Under-15 category.
“John will also compete in the youth duathlon,” said Fulton.
He joins Andie Kuipers, who will be up for the elite women category.
While Goddard is expected to use the event to step up his preparation for the Africa Championships, the likes of Zander Botha, the Beamish sisters – Olivia and Alexis are among those athletes expected to start chasing points for rankings.
They will be looking at making the teams for the South Africa Championships.
“Olivia and Alexis Beamish, Hannah Hosack, Callum Smith, Stanley Chasakara, Zander Botha, Matt Hildebrand, are some of the athletes also expected to be competing on Sunday as they start building their selection ranking to qualify to travel to SA Championships.”
Fulton is optimistic of the new season with one of the highlights on their calendar being the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
It is just over a month before the Games come to life in Senegal and Zimbabwe will be represented by Rachel O’Donoghue.
“This season is a big one for triathlon with Rachel competing at YOG.
“This is the third time Zimbabwe will be represented in triathlon at the Games.
“We intent to capitalise on this heightened publicity to attract new athletes to our sport.
“Much work has been going on in the off season to encourage schools to try triathlon and compete in the junior school series.
“This season we are also introducing a yearly Senior Inter-School event. Some senior schools have expressed interest. So, we hope this is the start of something that will grow from strength to strength,” Fulton said.
The junior schools series previously brought together seven schools — St John’s Prep, Harare International School, St Michael’s Presentation Primary, Hellenic, Abbeys Preparatory School, Wise Owl and Springvale House.
However, for this year three more schools have come on board — Bryden Country School, Maranatha Preparatory School, Hillcrest Prep School.
