THE battle for a spot in the South African Championships is heating up in the U17 Boys category of Triathlon Zimbabwe's (TZ) junior competition.
With only two weekends left for athletes to prove themselves, the tension is palpable.
Stanley Chasakara, Rohnan Nicholson, and Callum Smith have been the standout performers, and their rivalry is expected to go down to the wire. TZ head coach Pamela Fulton is excited about the competition.
"Athletes need to attain a minimum of 10 points by the end of the selection period to be eligible for the SA Champs," Fulton told The Sports Hub.
"Currently, seven youth and juniors have 8 or more points, so they're close to qualifying."
The remaining two selection races will be crucial, with points weighted to favor athletes who peak at the right time. Fulton is particularly excited about the juniors' prospects at the SA Championships and the Bonaqua Troutbeck Triathlon Africa Cup in March.
"With a half-term break before the Troutbeck event, this is a perfect opportunity for athletes to familiarise themselves with the course and fine-tune their training," she said.
Fulton also praised the performances of Rachel O'Donoghue, Olivia Beamish, and Zander Botha in the U15 category.
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Zimbabwe's lone elite athlete, Andie Kuipers, will compete alone again this year at Troutbeck.
"In the junior elite category, Nicole Madya, Callum, Stanley, Rohnan, and Mandla Mthethwa will be competing," Fulton added.
The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the selection process, with athletes giving it their all to secure a spot in the SA Championships. All roads lead to Mt Pleasant Pool in Harare for the penultimate round of qualifiers for the SA Championships.
