adminBlessing Malinganiza
ZIMBABWE junior elite athletes, Anje Van As and Nicole Madya, narrowly missed out on a podium finish, settling for number four and five respectively, in Saturday’s Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup Troutbeck.
Van As was the fastest Zimbabwean athlete home in a time of 01:31:01 in the Africa Triathlon Junior Cup junior women category.
Another local debutant, Madya was just behind Van As in fifth position.
Makanaka Mawere and Inkosinomusa Mthethwa , another newcomer, did not finish the race. “I was hoping to be in the top five and I’m quite happy that I did finish.
“My race wasn’t the best that I have had.
“I was struggling quite a lot on the run but I guess we have to move forward and work towards improving everything so that I will have a good race next time,” Van As said.
“Considering how strong these athletes are, I am quite happy with my results.
“Moving up from the youth category to the juniors is quite a big step, especially when you are in the younger age-group, as you are now the youngest.”
South Africa junior triathlon ace, Kadence Ribbink, won the junior women category in 01:20:42 as she led from the swim, opening a gap on the bike until her finish with the run.
Fellow South Africans, Lome Gouws and Mia Van Der Veen won silver and bronze respectively.
In the junior men category, it was an all-South African podium with Shaun Wolfaardt winning gold and Nathan Foster and Kyle Erskine picking up silver and bronze.
Zimbabwe had Mandlenkosi Mthethwa coming in a distant eighth while Duwan Botha and Matipa Mawere did not finish the race.
Online Reporter