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Mehluli Sibanda in NYANGA
GIDEON Benade, Zimbabwe’s only representative in the elite section at this year’s Bonaqua Troutbeck Africa Triathlon Union Sprint Triathlon African Cup is looking to compete at his own pace against international competitors this morning.

Benade, competing against 18 other triathletes in the elite men finished 12th out of 15 last year in what was the first time that he was taking part in this challenging race. When asked what his strategy this time around, the 21-year old Benade, with an eye at the 2024 Olympics expressed his desire to compete at his own tempo.

“I am still learning, still developing myself as an athlete but it’s a similar strategy like last year, trying to build it up and race my own race against all these guys,’’ Benade said.

He is also hoping for rain to spare the course so that the route is dry and allows for the athletes to perform at their best.

“Hopefully there is not too much rain on tomorrow(today) so we can have a dry course for fast times and which will also make it safer to race hard,’’ he said.

One of those lining up against Benade, Timothee Hugnin of Mauritius described Troutbeck as a demanding route since it is hilly with high altitude which should pose a challenge to most of the competitors.

“I personally really like this venue because it’s a very challenging course, very hilly, we also in very high altitude so most of us I don’t think are used to racing that high so it’s definitely going to be different from the normal circuit, should be very exciting,’’ Hugnin said.

South African Amber Schlebusch, who is participating for the first time at Troutbeck, expressed her excitement at being in Zimbabwe, with the youngster’s sentiments being that it promises to be a tough race.

“I have never raced here before so it’s pretty exciting to be racing in a place I have never raced before. I am excited to be here, I was looking at the course this morning, it is definitely a tough course, the altitude is going to play a big role but I am crossing fingers for a good race, the level of athletes is really high which pushes us all to race our hardest,’’ Schlebusch said.

Last year’s winners in the elite men and women are not taking part in the 2019 edition of the race.

Triathlon Zimbabwe president, Rick Fulton, who is also the race director said South African Cindy Schwulst, the women’s champion in 2018 is out due to injury while Jonas Breinlinger of Germany suffered from severe food poisoning during last weekend’s Triathlon World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa and had to return to Germany for treatment.

A total of 19 elite men and seven selected women will take to the pool, cycle track before they hit the road for the top prizes. Besides Zimbabwe, South Africa as well as Mauritius, other countries represented are Egypt, Luxembourg, Morocco, Germany, Czech Republic and Ireland.

Starting Lists

Elite men
Justus Nieschlag, Maximilian Schwetz, Lars Pfeifer(all Germany), Constantine Doherty(Ireland), Dylan Nortje, Matthew Greer, Travis Mcgrath, Keegan Cooke, Jamie Riddle, Nicholas Quenet, Pieterjan Van der Merwe, Cameron Macnair (all South Africa) Jan Celustka(Czech Republic) Badr Siwane, Mehdi Essadiq (both Morocco), Peter Denteneer(Belgium), Oliver Gorges (Luxembourg), Timothee Hugnin (Mauritius), Gideon Benade (Zimbabwe)

Elite women
Nina Eim, Lina Volka (both Germany), Carolyn Hayes (Ireland), Basalma Elsalamoney (Egypt), Ashleigh Blackwell, Amber Schlebusch, Ashley Irvine-Smith (all South Africa)

— @Mdawini_29