adminSenior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE had no single representative in the men’s elite class during the rebranded Schweppes Water Troutbeck ATU African Cup competition held in Nyanga last Saturday in a development that was construed as an epitome of the sport’s waning fortunes in the country.
For a sport that used to feature big names in the mould of Olympians: Mark Marabini and Christopher Felgate, failing to field even a single athlete in the men’s elite race was a clear indication of the declining standards of the sport on the domestic scene.
Junior triathletes as well as two representatives in the females’ elite contest were all that the country looked up to in this year’s edition of the annual event.
Triathlon Zimbabwe president, Rick Fulton, told Post Sport that the sport will not develop at a pace they would have wanted as long as it is not in the school system.
“The country had no representatives in the males’ elite class and it is sad. It shows that the sport is not developing and the opposite is true. The challenge is that we are not in the schools system and it is difficult, given that background.
“It is also a fact that triathlon is financially demanding as a sport, hence the current economic challenges in the country obviously would make it difficult for the sport to grow.
“A triathlete bike costs in the region of $5 000 to $15 000,” said Fulton.
Triathletes have left the country in the past years, some quitting to pursue education, while others have quit the sport due to high costs of travelling and equipment.
Making matters worse for Zimbabwe, the only two Zimbabwe elite triathletes were in the women category, but they found the going tough against their more illustrious opponents.
The Zimbabwean duo of Linda Rousseau and Sarah Wild conspired to disappoint as they came second from last and last respectively in the female’s elite category.
South Africa ruled the roost for both men and women elite classes, with Wian Sullwald finishing first, while 373rd ITU points ranked Jodie Berry was the first woman home.
Both athletes were in a class of their own over the 1 500metres swim, 40kilometres cycle and 10km run.
Meanwhile, in the Zimbabwe Triathlon National Championships the country’s junior athletes gave a good account of themselves ahead of the African Championships set for Egypt in May.
Drew Williams and four other junior athletes were named in Zimbabwe’s squad for Egypt.
The 18-year-old Williams and the duo of 17-year-old Gideon Benade and 15-year-old Alex Colegrave will take part in the junior men competition in the African qualifier race.
Gabrielle Dumont de Chassart and Rebecca Duncan are the two girls who will also be travelling to Egypt.
Colegrave and de Chassart will have the choice of selecting an event of their choice, having both qualified in more than one event and the two have up to the end of this week to notify their association on their preferred race.
De Chassart, Colegrave and Williams all walked away with gold medals over the weekend after finishing on top in their respective age groups in the half sprints in a competition the South Africans dominated.
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