Para-athletes Jerome Rooi and Mateus Angula will depart for Nelson Mandela Bay tomorrow to compete in the Africa Triathlon Championship, taking place from 4 to 6 April.

Both athletes are beneficiaries of the Challenged Athletes Namibia and Run Along Sport Foundation, and have been training for this prestigious competition since October last year. 

Angula, a PTWC2 athlete, and Rooi, a PTS2 athlete, have dedicated significant time and effort to their preparation.

Angula, who joined the foundation in October 2023, is making the transition from para-swimming to para-triathlon. While competing in triathlon, he will also participate in wheelchair racing, hand cycling and swimming in his individual classified category, alongside other triathletes in his class.

Their coach, Naomi Schmidt, said the focus for the next two years will be on improving Angula’s international rankings in para-triathlon. “Both Rooi and Angula are naturally-gifted athletes. 

It’s rare to find athletes who are equally strong in all three disciplines of para- triathlon. 

Since January, they’ve been in a dedicated, high-performance training camp, which includes accommodation, nutrition and intensive training. They train five to six days a week, for up to four hours a day, and do strength training twice a week.”

Schmidt noted that the athletes are highly motivated, with Angula preparing for his first continental para- triathlon competition, which will play a key role in his journey to qualify for the World Championships. Rooi, on the other hand, aims to improve his time and enhance his world rankings. The competition will offer them a chance to earn up to 500 points, a significant opportunity for both.

Rooi expressed his readiness for the competition, mentioning that the Africa Cup in Swakopmund was helpful in his preparation. Angula, meanwhile, shared his goal to put on a strong performance and achieve a great result in the race. 

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na