As the temperatures soar, a group of committed students alternate running cross-country distances, biking over mountain trails and jumping into the pool to swim laps. Yes, it’s that time of the year when a new triathlon season commences. Zimbabwe’s triathlon season spans five selection meets between October and January, the first which will take place Saturday, 25 October 2015 at Mt Pleasant Pool, home to most triathlon meets.
Subsequent trials include 8, 22 and 29 November, and 17 and 31 January, all at Mt Pleasant Pool. At each trial, there are event categories of differing lengths and difficulties, depending on participants’ ages. Selection trials culminate in all roads leading to Nyanga on 20 February 2016 where the Zimbabwean National Championships will coincide with the African Triathlon Union African Cup as well as the Mile Open Water Swim at Troutbeck.
With the recent representation of youthful triathlon student athletes Drew Williams of St John’s College and Rebecca Duncan of Chisipite Senior School at the World Triathlon Championships in Chicago as inspiration, we are expecting a vibrant triathlon season with more schools and students seeing the potential in developing the endurance sport in Zimbabwe.