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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S team to compete at the Africa Triathlon Championships stepped up their build-up to the event with a six-day training camp in Harare recently.
The championships are due to take place from September 23 to 25 in Agadir, Morocco.
All the selected athletes for the championships attended the training camp that saw them working on various aspects, ranging from the technical side to team bonding.
It was led by national coach Pamela Fulton, who is going to travel with the team for their forthcoming assignment.
“The athletes met for one or two sessions daily for six days. All 10 athletes attended all sessions except for one who had extra school lessons and missed some sessions.
“I included a variety of sessions, with some being swim, bike and run time trials for the athletes and myself to assess where their fitness levels are at present and what areas they need to work on between now and departure to Africa Championships in five weeks’ time.
“Other sessions included mental strength coping mechanisms, fun team building sessions and a mixed team relay event.
“After the individual events in Morocco, a team of two males and two females will be selected to take part in the relay event.
“The athletes found some sessions really hard. But overall they enjoyed and benefited immensely from the camp as a whole, giving them key areas to work on over the next five weeks,” said Fulton.
Zimbabwe are fielding athletes in the Under-19 Sprint Ladies (Elite Junior), Under-17 Youth A Super Sprint boys and girls, Under-15 Youth B Super Sprint boys and girls.
Some of the athletes that made the grade for the continental showpiece are Brooklyn Tippett and Emma Lidsba, who attained qualification for both the Under-19 Elite Junior Sprint and Under-17 Youth A Supersprint. They have the option to race in the sprint or supersprint.
Makanaka Mawere is going to compete in the Under-19. Mawere and George Ascott are the team captains for this tour.
With the local triathlon season official start closer, the athletes will have a chance to gauge their preparedness in a competitive environment before they leave for Morocco.
Fulton said they will continue with such sessions until schools open next month.
“The team bonded really well and their spirits are high. They so enjoyed training together, that I am continuing to organise weekly sessions until they go back to school, when it then becomes difficult for everyone to meet up.
“This weekend will be the first of our triathlons of the season and this gives them a fantastic opportunity to focus on areas that need work. Prior to the teams’ departure, they will be able to compete locally in two events,” said Fulton.
Triathlon Zimbabwe are set to hold a fun event this Sunday at Mount Pleasant Pool. It will feature both duathlon and triathlon with several races lined up for the day.
Africa Triathlon Championships Team
Under-19 Sprint Ladies: Makanaka Mawere, Emma Lidsba, Brooklyn Tippet
Under-17 Youth A Super Sprint boys: George Ascott, Matipa Mawere
Under-17 Youth A Super Sprint Girls: Emma Lidsba, Brooklyn Tippett
Under-15 Youth B Super Sprint Boys: Rohnan Nicholson, Callum Smith
Under-15 Youth B Super Sprint Girls: Anje Van As, Tayleigh Taylor, Nicole Madya.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter