Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub
Triathlon Zimbabwe is banking on schools to grow its base of athletes as the new season kicks off on September 21 with an Invitational Inter-Schools Aquathlon at Harare International School.
Vice-president Pamela Fulton said they are determined to keep widening the sport’s footprint in schools.
“We want to continue to grow the sport within the schools.
We start the season with a junior inter schools aquathlon with
HIS hosting this and inviting a couple of new schools to introduce them to our sport.
“Hopefully these schools will also become a part of the triathlon School Series.
This initiative has already introduced new athletes to the selection events, thereby increasing our pool of youth and junior athletes,” Fulton said.
The schools competition was expanded last year into a three race series hosted by different schools, a move that has helped bring more youngsters into the fold.
Beyond local racing, the association’s calendar is packed with major regional and international meets, including the Bonaqua Africa Cup, the Africa Triathlon Cup Swakopmund, the Africa Championships, and the South Africa Youth and Junior Championships.
Zimbabwe is also eyeing a breakthrough on the global stage.
For the first time, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be staged in Africa next year in Senegal, and two local athletes have a chance to qualify through the Africa Championships set for January in El Galala, Egypt.
Fulton said: “We are hoping to have two athletes, one male and one female, represent Zimbabwe at YOG 26.
The triathlon YOG selection criteria is very complicated but basically our athletes have the opportunity to become eligible for selection through the Africa Championships event. Unfortunately, triathlon is not a part of the Africa Youth Games.”
The African Youth Games, scheduled for December in Angola, will feature codes such as swimming and athletics which are part of the YOG programme, but triathlon is excluded.
Back home, Mount Pleasant remains the main venue for most local races, where athletes will collect points to qualify for national teams and various tours.
The association continues to face a challenge in bridging the gap between promising juniors and the senior level.
“With athletes departing Zimbabwe for tertiary education, it is difficult to keep them in the sport.
But with the school series we will have more athletes in the sport right up until they leave school and therefore more chance of athletes continuing in the sport at tertiary level,” Fulton said.
Among Zimbabwe’s current crop, Andie Kuipers remains the country’s brightest elite hope.
Now based in Kuwait, she has her sights set on representing the nation at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
