Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
RACHEL O’DONOGHUE arrived at Troutbeck Resort earlier this year expecting to compete against fellow junior women.
When no other athletes entered her category, the 16-year-old accepted the challenge of stepping up to race against the elite women at the Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup.
She chose the harder race.
Despite the wet and slippery conditions, O’Donoghue held her nerve and finished third on her elite women’s debut.
“I was really nervous before the race, but the older girls were incredibly friendly and encouraging,” she said.
“It wasn’t my best race because the conditions were very wet and slippery on the bike, but I was really pleased to finish in third place.
“One of the biggest lessons was that race conditions aren’t always perfect.
“My main focus became staying safe and avoiding a crash. It taught me how important it is to adapt to whatever conditions you are given.”
That willingness to test herself against older and more experienced athletes has strengthened the belief within Triathlon Zimbabwe that O’Donoghue has the temperament to compete at the highest level.
Triathlon Zimbabwe vice-president and national coach Pamela Fulton believes the teenager’s performance at Troutbeck revealed as much about her character as it did her ability.
“She is one athlete that I really do believe, when put at that top level, can mentally cope with it,” Fulton told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“We saw at the Troutbeck event how she dealt with racing. In the spirit of the moment, she decided to race the elite and she wasn’t intimidated.
“She went fully into it and was just fearless. I think she is one athlete who can cope with the pressure of big games.
“Having said how talented she is, she has a very good chance of going all the way to the Olympics, the real Olympics.”
O’Donoghue will take another major step in that journey when she represents Zimbabwe at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13.
Zimbabwe received one place in the women’s triathlon competition for the Games, which will be staged in Africa for the first time.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to compete at the Youth Olympic Games,” O’Donoghue said.
“Not many athletes get the chance to represent their country at an event like this, so I feel very privileged and honoured to represent Zimbabwe.”
Her selection follows years of steady progress on the local and regional circuits.
O’Donoghue won the South African Youth Championships in 2023 and 2024 before taking silver in her final year in the category.
She then made a strong start to junior competition while continuing to dominate at home.
At the end of the 2025-2026 local season in March, she claimed the national women’s Under-17 and Ladies Sprint titles.
She has also won gold at Africa Triathlon Junior Cup events in South Africa and Mauritius this year.
The sport has been part of her life since childhood.
Her family moved to Zambia when she was young before returning to Zimbabwe when she was nine.
“My family has always enjoyed cycling and running,” O’Donoghue said. “When we moved back to Zimbabwe from Zambia, we started taking part in triathlon at Mount Pleasant Swimming Pool. It was a fantastic introduction to the sport, and that’s where my triathlon journey began.”
Her performances have since taken her beyond the local circuit, with races in South Africa providing stronger competition for Zimbabwean athletes.
Europe is the next step, where O’Donoghue is expected to race in August as part of her preparations for Dakar.
“I am really looking forward to racing in Europe as part of my preparation for the Youth Olympic Games,” she said.
“It will be my first time racing there, so I am both nervous and excited.
“I am also looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere around the Olympic Games and being surrounded by athletes from all over the world.”
The European races will expose her to the larger and stronger fields she rarely encounters at home.
“As I have got older, the junior competition in Zimbabwe has become much smaller,” O’Donoghue said.
She added: “I think balancing school, exams and training is difficult for many young athletes.
“There are many more competitors overseas, which is why I am looking forward to racing in Europe later this year and gaining experience against stronger international fields.”
Her progress has been built on consistency across swimming, cycling and running.
“Consistency. I don’t stop,” she said. “I genuinely enjoy training.”
She further said: “I like that triathlon combines three different sports, which keeps things interesting. Fitting everything into a busy schedule can be challenging, but it never gets boring.
“I also enjoy racing hard and performing under pressure.”
For O’Donoghue, the sacrifices have been made easier by the satisfaction she gets from seeing her work reflected in her performances.
“I love challenging myself and seeing the progress that comes from consistent training.
“Every race teaches me something new and motivates me to keep working hard.
“I am really excited about the progress I have made. I feel like all the years of consistent training are starting to pay off, and that’s really encouraging.”
The Youth Olympic Games are now her immediate focus, but the ambition stretches beyond Dakar.
“Like every athlete, my biggest dream is to compete at the Olympic Games one day,” O’Donoghue said.
“Right now, my main focus is the Youth Olympic Games. After that, I still have two important years of school and exams ahead of me.
“I am sure I will continue racing and training hard, and hopefully I will have the opportunity to compete in a few more international races next year.”
At Troutbeck, O’Donoghue could have remained in her age category when no junior opponents arrived.
Instead, she stepped into the elite women’s field and left with a bronze medal.
Dakar will provide a much bigger field and a far greater test, but the 16-year-old has already shown that she is not afraid to race against older and more experienced athletes.
