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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
TRIATHLON Zimbabwe are set to resume competition for the second half of the 2021-2022 season on January 9 with an event scheduled for Borrowdale Brooke.
Hopes are high for an exciting last half of the season with triathletes expected to take their game up as they aim for qualification to various regional and continental events.
Their last competition for the first half of the season, which is a Christmas event that was scheduled for last weekend, was called off.
But Triathlon Zimbabwe president, David Ellis, said they are looking forward to athletes taking advantage of other upcoming events when competition resumes.
“After a very staccato start to the season, Triathlon Zimbabwe had to cancel our end of season event with the sharp rise of Covid-19 infections in the country.
“The decision to cancel the event was a difficult (one) yet right thing to do but done with a heavy heart as it is traditionally the time when an informal race day culminates in an event filled with festive cheer to conclude the first part of our season.
“However, an event at Borrowdale Brooke on the 9th of January will kick-start the second part of the season. This occasion is a unique setting for both triathlon and duathlon; and has become a popular venue for the triathlon family,” said Ellis.
There are a number of Africa Triathlon Cup events scheduled between February and May in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Namibia and Tunisia.
Triathlon Zimbabwe are hopeful of staging another event when they host the 2022 Africa Triathlon Cup Troutbeck and Africa Triathlon Junior Cup Troutbeck as per the usual schedule.
The events are scheduled for April 2.
“The season then continues in earnest with a packed calendar of events both locally and internationally with the Troutbeck event concluding proceedings for the Zimbabwe season.
“Troutbeck assumes its traditional slot in the calendar in April to coincide with points acquisition cycles for elite athletes.
“Plans are already in place for a tour to Masselspoort and Gqeberha in South Africa and athletes are battling it out to meet the selection criteria for these events,” said Ellis.
The 2021 edition had to be moved from February to September due to the Covid-19 pandemic and as usual several international triathletes took part.
In the junior event, Makanaka Mawere took bronze in the junior women in a race won by Kira Ribbink of South Africa, who defended the title she won in 2020.
The best performance in the junior men came from George Ascott, who finished in fourth place in a race won by South Africa’s Rossouw Venter.
It will be interesting to see how local juniors fare next year.
It’s also promising to be an interesting second half of the season for local officials with most of them earmarked to officiate at the continental competitions.
“Technical officials from Zimbabwe have been earmarked to officiate at a number of these African events, which is testimony of the excellent reputation Zimbabwe holds on the African continent,” Ellis said.
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