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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter 

BRONZE medallist in the junior women at the 2022 Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup, Brooklyn Tippett, says her podium finish over the weekend is a confidence booster going forward.

The event held on Saturday at the Troutbeck Resort, in Nyanga, attracted athletes from different countries.

Going into this year’s edition of the event, Zimbabwe’s focus was more on the juniors as they only had one elite athlete — Greer Wynn in the elite women.

The hosts did not have any athlete in the elite men.

Tippett came third in 1 hour 27 minutes 51 seconds to finish third in the Junior Africa Cup women’s category.

It was the best performance from Zimbabwe who had several juniors competing.

South Africa’s Kadence Ribbink was the first to cross the finish line in 1 hour 21 minutes 15 seconds, followed by Mia Van Der Veen in 1 hour 25 minutes 56 seconds.

Saturday’s performance was a huge improvement for Tippett after coming 14th in another Junior Africa Cup event in South Africa two weeks ago.

“It means that I can do it. I know I can. I can catch up to people. I just really hope I got my time for Africa Championships in September.

“I did a lot better on my cycle and I improved a lot more since Port Elizabeth which was two weeks ago.

“So for now I have got Africa Championships coming up in September and for now I just need to rest and by next term I am going to be training a lot especially swimming,” said Tippett.

She is one of the hopefuls expected to make the team for the Africa Championships to be held in September.

Some of the juniors — Emma Lidsba and Jessica Fuller withdrew after falling sick.

National coach, Pamela Fulton said getting the chance to interact with the elite athletes is also something positive for the upcoming athletes as they get to learn from the best.

Zimbabwe will be hoping to have some of the juniors graduating to the elite level in the future.

“All of the athletes that were there stayed to watch the elite athletes, which is fantastic because you can only learn from the best,” said Fulton

Last year’s bronze medallist Makanaka Mawere was fourth while Inkosinomusa Mthethwa finished seventh.

In the Junior men the best performance from Zimbabwe was from Matipa Mawere, who finished fourth.

Zimbabwe’s only representative in the elite women Wynn was fifth in a field of six athletes.

Slovakia’s Ivana Kuriackova came first, followed by South Africans Shanae Williams and Hannah Newman.

South Africa also dominated the elite men with Jamie Riddle coming first. He was followed by fellow South Africans Christiaan Stroebel and Dylan Nortje on second and third place respectively.

It was the same in the junior men where Shaun Wolfaardt claimed the top spot, followed by Christian Hattingh and Francois De Villiers.

This was the 14th edition of the event.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry, in a speech read on her behalf by director Sport and Recreation in the Ministry, Eugenia Chidhakwa, commended the organisers and sponsors of the event for their dedication.

“The planning and preparation over the preceding months ensures that very little is left to chance and delivers a smooth event run on time and to the standard as stipulated by World Triathlon.

“This dovetails with the Ministry’s mandate to increase participation in sport at regional, continental and international level,” said Coventry.