Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
A FULL house is expected at Mount Pleasant pool tomorrow as Triathlon Zimbabwe hold the first selection race of the season.
The event will see participants take part in triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and aquabike events.
But attention will be more on the triathlon races, the main event of the day as the youth (under-13/under-15) and the junior athletes (under-17/under-19) go out to start accumulating points for the season.
The races are important for the selection of teams that go on different tours representing the country. And tomorrow’s race is the first of a series of races that run throughout the season.
Triathlon Zimbabwe president Ross O’Donoghue is anticipating a good turnout.
“It’s our first selection race of the season, so we are expecting good quality turnout.
“A lot of our juniors who are hoping to go on tour this year will be coming out to show us what the off-season has done for them.
“I know that a lot of the faster kids have put in a big off-season, and we are excited to see their times and how they stack up against each other. It’s going to be an exciting race to watch.
“In terms of quantity, we had a bit of an upset at the beginning of the season with the postponement of the Pink Day due to a personal issue with one of the organisers, which was very sad, but hopefully we have that later in the season.
“Usually, the Pink Day kicks our season off on such a high, such an exciting note, such a fun event. So, it was sorely missed, but hopefully we can reschedule it for early next year,” said O’Donoghue.
Following the postponement of the Pink Day, Triathlon Zimbabwe held a fun event last Sunday, which presented the athletes with a chance to step up their game ahead of tomorrow’s race.
Several of the leading youth and junior athletes such as Zander Botha, Rachel O’Donoghue, Olivia Beamish, Mandlenkosi Mthethwa, Callum Smith and Rohnan Nicholson are expected to be on course tomorrow.
With some international events lined up for the season including an opportunity to try and make the cut for the Youth Olympic Games, the youth athletes would want to start the season on a high.
“We have got some good international races, which our juniors are targeting. And we have got a certain number of races where two girls and two boys will be competing for, hopefully, a slot in the Youth Olympics.
“We have to wait to see what the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee has to say. But very excited about what the sea-son has to bring.
“Youth Olympics is a very exciting prospect for us next year. We have got some young athletes who are really showing great performances at the moment, and that are focusing on the Youth Olympics.
“That’s one of our big focuses this season, to prepare these athletes and to try to pave the way as best as we can for them to get there,” O’Donoghue said.
There is also the first series points event on tomorrow’s programme, for all athletes in all distances and disciplines.
There is also the tritots, trikidz, trisport, trifun, trifit, and the Age Group Supersprint, Sprint and Standard races.
For duathlon, participants will take part in du-fun, du-fit, du-sprint while aquathlon events lined up include aqua-fun and aqua-fit.
Also on the programme is the aquabike sprint distance race.
dyton mupawaenda