Suburban
It will be a hive of activity this weekend when the 2021 Bonaqua Africa Triathlon tournament gets underway in Nyanga where local and international athletes will battle it out at Troutbeck resort in Manicaland province.
By Monday this week, organisers said more than 140 participants had already registered for the event although athletes had until Thursday to enter their names for the tournament.
The elite event scheduled between Friday September 24 and Sunday September 26 will see male and female athletes showcasing various skill in several sporting disciplines including off road triathlon events, mini duathlon, youth mini and open water swim among others.
Local organizing committee administrator Carol Pakenham told sportbrief confirmed that preparations were going on well with their team in Nyanga to ensure everything was in place for the premier event.
“Our riggers and technical volunteers spent the whole weekend at Mount Pleasant Pool packing and loading all of the equipment and the trucks and crews have already arrived at Troutbeck and will be starting the build-in process.
Huge thanks to Swift Transport for their immense logistical support with trucks and drivers transporting our equipment and manpower safely to Troutbeck,” she said.
International triathletes were expected to start arriving on Thursday this week with a total field of 31 international elite and junior triathletes from nine countries joining more than 170 local counterparts. Athletes are expected from a number of countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa.
The event will be held with strict observance of Covid-19 health protocols. For the third year running, the ATU Junior Triathlon Africa Cup will be taking place at Troutbeck.
The tournament was moved from its initial date of February due to logistical complications arising from Covid-19.
Event director Rick Fulton told The Herald they were expecting fireworks at the tournament.
“We have been running around on the ground over the past three months and we have been at the venue since Monday and I can tell you that we are well ahead of schedule,” said Fulton.
Wynn Greer carries the hopes of Zimbabwe in the Women’s Elite category and she is the only participant in both the women’s and men’s elite events. Laurelle Brown and Mathew Denslow have been ruled out of this year’s competition with the former having to attend to private matters while the latter could not travel from England where he is studying.
That leaves the task to carry the country’s hopes on five juniors who made their mark at the Africa Championships held in Egypt three months ago by winning medals at the competition.
Anje Van As (Under 15 girls), Matipa Mawere (Under 15 boys), Emma Lidsba (Under 15 Girls), Joshua Jacobs (Under 15 boys) and Makanaka Mawere are hoping to do well in the weekend tournament and put Zimbabwe on the map.
The Bonaqua Triathlon 2021 Edition also serves as a platform for athletes who are keen to collect Olympics Qualifying points for the Paris Olympics scheduled for July to August 2024.
Pakenham paid tribute to a number of corporates for their support and making the tournament possible.
“We have quite a number of sponsors including Coca-Cola Africa and the Bonaqua brand bottled and distributed by Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited, Bon Marche Zimbabwe, Cimas i-Go, Rooneys Event Infrastructure, Toyota Zimbabwe, African Sun Hotels and Troutbeck Inn Resort who all have stood with us through the past year of upheavals and continue to place their confidence and trust in Triathlon Zimbabwe to stage this event.
“We also take this opportunity to thank our event partners Swift Transport, Safeguard Zimbabwe, Cimas Medical Labs, Flo Petroleum and Fivet for their invaluable logisitical contributions and to Ilala Lodge and Bratz Basement for their generous donation of products and gifts for the participants at the event,” Pakenham said.
Interest in triathlon continues to grow in Zimbabwe and recently Triathlon Zimbabwe Level 1 Coaches underwent practical assessments swim, bike and run sessions.
“They now have to complete all their online work before qualifying as World Triathlon Level 1 Coaches.
“A successful week with some fantastic coaches. Excited for Triathlon Zimbabwe’s future! A very big thank you to World Triathlon, Olympic Solidarity funding, Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, our facilitator Neil Macpherson, Schweppes for supplying Bonaqua water, Daisy’s Guest House for looking after us all week and for the coaching facilities utilised,” said Traithlon Zimbabwe. — sportbrief/The Herald
