Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ROHNAN Nicholson delivered a strong performance to emerge tops at the National Duathlon Championships held over the weekend at Donnybrook Race Track.
The event featured championship and non-championship events.
Nicholson, competing in the Junior Men Sprint under the championship events, had a good day in the office, dominating on the bike and gave a good account of himself on the run to claim the top spot.
Duathlon consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and finishes with another running leg.
The sprint race consisted of a 5.5km run, 19.25km bike and 2.5km run.
“It’s a big shock to come first. I thought I would come third because I haven’t been doing any training on the running side,” he said.
“So, I did the run and then I had to maximise on the bike. I pushed on the bike extremely hard and then I just brought it home on the last lap.
“It means a lot to me because it shows I still have the strength. It shows I can actually go out there and do well,” said Nicholson.
On second place was Sean Masekho from Bulawayo and Callum Smith was third.
Nicholson, who is one of the promising and leading triathletes for Zimbabwe, has been focusing mainly on cycling of late and was in Belgium for three months.
He said Sunday’s event is likely to be his last competition before he changes over to cycling.
“I think this is my last one, and then I am going to change over to cycling. So, I will go back to Belgium in February,” Nicholson said.
In the Age Group Men’s Sprint, Andrew Peebles was crowned champion when crossing the finish line first, ahead of last year’s winner Shine Doko.
Doko came second and Proud Sakala was third.
Doko said it was a tough outing this time around but was pleased with his performance as he prepares for his cycling race.
The Youth Super Sprint was made up of a 2.75km run, 11km bike and 1.3km run.
In the Youth Boys Super-Sprint, Bryce Cameroon came first. He was followed by Zizael Manyati and Mudiwawashe Zivira was third.
While there was a decent turnout in the male’s category, it was a different case for the females section in the championship events.
Only Rachel O’Donoghue took part in the Youth Girls Super Sprint. She was the defending champion going into Sunday’s competition.
The likes of Zander Botha and Matt Hildebrand, who are graduating to the sprint event this season, competed in non-championship events to assess themselves ahead of the triathlon selection races that get underway in a few weeks’ time.
Botha, Hildebrand, and O’Donoghue are some of the athletes earmarked for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
O’Donoghue, also graduating from the super sprint to the sprint distance, is looking forward to the new challenge.
“Well, it’s my first season in sprint, so that’s the longer distance but I am super excited to get going and maybe even qualify for the Youth Olympics next year.
“It’s definitely going to be a lot of work this year and next year as I am also writing my ‘O’ Level exams but it will be fun to see how it goes,” said O’Donoghue.
There was quite a good turnout for the non-championship events with participants competing in du-fun, du-super sprint and du-sprint in various age groups.
The event is sponsored by Evolution Insurance
