Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SEVERAL junior athletes will be out to enhance their chances of making the team for the upcoming Africa Triathlon Junior Championships when local competition resumes at Mount Pleasant Pool this weekend.
It is going to be a full house event on Sunday with different races on the programme.
But for the youths and juniors, it will be selection race number six, and they will be out to chase for points.
While there are a few more selection races left, Sunday’s event serves as the final one for those that would want to be part of the team to compete at the Junior Africa Championships to be staged in Egypt in February.
National coach Pamela Fulton said a number of juniors have indicated they would want to take part at the continental show-piece.
“This Sunday’s event is the final selection event for those hoping to qualify for the Junior Africa Championships in February in Egypt.
“Callum Smith, Zander Botha, Matthew Hildebrand, Olivia Beamish and Aden Collett have expressed interest in travelling.”
The championships will double as the final eligibility race for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games later in the year.
There is also the South Africa Championships in March, and every point matters ahead of the upcoming tours.
“This event in Egypt doubles as the final YOG26 eligibility race. After 31 March we will wait to hear from the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and World Triathlon whether Zimbabwe have been awarded a slot in both the male and female categories.
“Both youth and juniors will hope to further their South Africa Championships selection points at this weekend’s race,” added Fulton.
The first YOG eligibility race was held last November in Kenya.
Zimbabwe’s pair of Rachel O’Donoghue and Zander Botha were part of the race, and they both came second in the girls’ and boys’ sections, respectively.
