Athletics

Zimbabwe: Assured Kuipers Roars Again

Nationwide coach Pamela Fulton says Andie Kuipers’ Below-23 win on the Africa Triathlon Championships in South Africa over the weekend is a confidence booster for the athlete.

Kuipers, bouncing again from damage, gave a gutsy efficiency in Gqeberha to clinch the Below-23 Girls’s title and end fifth general within the mixed elite/Below-23 race – a outcome that alerts her return to kind and fuels her Olympic ambitions.

“This occasion was an actual confidence enhance for her, not solely exiting the tough sea swim in an unimaginable third place, but additionally posting an excellent run to complete inside eight % of the general profitable woman, gaining beneficial rating factors,” stated Fulton.

“That is precisely the best way she wished to begin her LA28 marketing campaign. It was particular to be there to witness this efficiency and I’m pleased with her continued dedication to the game and persistence as her Achilles continues to heal. Wishing her continued success for the next 4 years as she prepares for LA28.”

Kuipers is aiming to climb the worldwide rankings this season – a mission that would open doorways to high-calibre competitions and, finally, cement her path to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Video games as soon as the qualification window opens.

Her victory was the spotlight of a marketing campaign that introduced notable progress for Zimbabwe, particularly among the many juniors and youth athletes who competed with verve and dedication on the continental stage.

Zander Botha and Rachel O’Donoghue reaffirmed their rising reputations with commanding performances within the Youth Boys and Women classes, bagging gold and silver medals respectively – replicating their podium finishes on the South Africa Junior and Youth Championships simply weeks in the past.

Botha, specifically, continued his glowing run of kind. Contemporary off a Supersprint win on the Africa Triathlon Cup Swakopmund in Namibia, the younger sensation proved as soon as once more why he is being tipped as one among Zimbabwe’s brightest triathlon prospects.

“Zander managed to drag it off as soon as once more, profitable gold Below-15 after an extremely thrilling end the place the 2 boys ran stride for stride,” stated Fulton.

“Congratulations to Zander for his excellent season. Now it is time for a well-deserved relaxation earlier than gearing up for 2026, when he’ll step as much as the Below-17 class and face the problem of the longer dash distance. I stay up for seeing how he adapts.”

Within the ladies’ youth race, the much-anticipated duel between O’Donoghue and South Africa’s Taylor Foster lived as much as expectations. The 2 have developed a compelling rivalry over the previous few seasons, with Taylor edging Rachel at this 12 months’s SA Championships – a outcome that added further stress going into Sunday’s showdown.