Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TRIATHLON Zimbabwe vice president Pamela Fulton has said her association will continue with their efforts to grow the sport within schools.
The 2025-2026 season gets underway on September 21 with an Invitational Inter-Schools Aquathlon event at Harare International School and Triathlon Zimbabwe are looking to continue to use such platforms to “catch them young’’.
“We want to continue to grow the sport within the schools.
“We start the season with a junior inter schools aquathlon with HIS (Harare International School) 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,” said Fulton.
The national association expanded the schools competition last year to make it a series, featuring three races that are hosted by different schools.
The Bonaqua Africa Cup, Africa Triathlon Cup Swakopmund, Africa Championships, South Africa Youth and Junior Championships are some of the major events on the calendar.
Triathlon Zimbabwe are hoping to make the cut for the Youth Olympic Games to be hosted by Senegal next year.
It will mark the first time the Games are held on African soil.
Two athletes have an opportunity to become eligible for selection through the Africa Championships scheduled for January.
Fulton, a seasoned coach, said they 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.
“This event is scheduled for 30/31 January in El Galala Egypt.
“Unfortunately, triathlon is not a part of Africa Youth Games,” Fulton said.
The African Youth Games are pencilled for December in Angola.
Selected sport codes to feature at the Games and which are also on the YOG programme such as swimming and athletics will use the event as part the build-up to the YOG.
Mount Pleasant remains the main venue for most of the local races that will see athletes accumulating points to qualify into national teams for various tours.
While Zimbabwe has seen several youth and junior triathletes emerging and doing well over the years, they are struggling when it comes to 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 chances of athletes continuing in the sport at tertiary level,” said Fulton.
Andie Kuipers, now based in Kuwait remains Zimbabwe’s hopeful at the elite level and is hoping to make it to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.C
