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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

FOLLOWING her fourth place finish at the Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup in the junior women category, Makanaka Mawere is keeping her head high, hoping for a better result in her next competition.

She is one of the hopefuls that are expected to make the Zimbabwe team for the African Championships to be staged in Agadir, Morocco, in September.

Triathlon Zimbabwe are expected to announce the travelling team to Morocco soon following the completion of the qualifying races.

Mawere is among the hopefuls for Zimbabwe and was part of the several junior women and men that took part in the Junior Africa Cup at the Troutbeck event a week ago.

Mawere was a bronze medallist last year and had hoped for another podium finish this year but she missed as she came fourth.

Although she was disappointed, a promising start to the race saw her coming second in the swim before a technical challenge with her saddle saw her losing ground.  But as she hopes to make the team to the African Championships, Mawere is looking forward to rise from the disappointment.

“Definitely (it) cost me minutes not even seconds because I was coming second on the bike and I ended up being sixth when I had fixed my saddle. So it definitely cost me a lot but I mean it’s sports and such is life you can’t make that an excuse.

“I am just going to be pushing myself even more because I really want to do well at the African Championships and kind of redeem myself.

“So I will definitely be trying my best to train as hard as I can as much as I can, so that I can do better at the African Championships which will be much harder than this,” said Mawere.

Last year the continental showpiece was held in June but this year it is scheduled for September 23 to 25.

“I am actually glad that they were pushed to September because it gives me more time to train and get to the place where I want to be.

“So I am grateful for all the time that I have to push myself as well as the fact that I think it would have been a lot more hectic in June when it usually happens with exams and school. So I am glad that it’s in September when I can have a bit more time to get to that place that I am confident,” said Mawere.

Mawere paid tribute to her brother Matipa, who is also her training partner, for inspiring and supporting her.

“I am so proud of my brother, he is my biggest inspiration because he is just so talented at this point, and he pushes me to be even better.

“And even training with him, he is constantly the one who is telling me to go harder, to go faster, so it’s just great to be alongside him, someone that I know and love and someone who loves me. It’s just great to have someone on your side through thick and thin,” said Mawere.

Mawere won bronze at the same event last year in the junior women while her brother got gold in the Youth Under-15 Boys.