Maputo Sprint Triathlon competitors increase in number and speed – Watch

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Maputo Sprint Triathlon competitors increase in number and speed – Watch

3:59 CAT | 13 Dec 2022

More than 60 competitors swam, cycled and ran along Avenida da Marginal on Sunday morning during the annual Cidade das Acacias event. The triathlon (swim-bike-run) and duathlon (run-bike-run) both covered a total distance of 25 kilometres, with participants aged between 13 and 71 years old.

The event was organised by the Mozambican Triathlon Federation together with its main sponsor Coca-Cola. The Acacias Triathlon and the Lurdes Mutola Triathlon have been increasing in size and popularity since their debut in 2020.

The first place in the sprint triathlon, with a time of just over 1 hour 5 minutes and 34 seconds, went to 30-year-old Valdo Lourenço, a former swimmer and now coach at the Barracudas swimming club: “Today’s race was fantastic, I felt really good in the first two disciplines but I felt like I struggled in the race, it was a hot day but I did my best to finish strongly,” said Lourenço, who praised the organisation of the event and the race conditions. Coming second and third in the men’s triathlon were Leonild Pedro and Manuel Alejandro.

Sixteen-year-old Maíra Correia impressed spectators by coming second in swimming. She is a member of the Barracudas swimming club in Maputo and finished third overall in the women’s triathlon, behind Pernille Kristensen and Dawn Goodwin.

The women who finished the duathlon were Jena Sauji and Farinda Lewis. In the men’s duathlon, the first, second and third places went to Armando Estêvão with a time of 1 hour and 21 minutes and 3 seconds, followed by Leonnie Tembe and Ernesto Lopes.

Mozambique Triathlon Federation President Janete Antunes thanked sponsors and supporters for their determination over the previous five triathlons to see the events succeed and grow.

She sees the events as excellent training for athletes who could go on to compete in triathlons at regional and international levels, including at the African Games and the Olympic Games. “Now our goal is to increase the distance for the Olympic triathlon next year. This modality is even to spread the discipline in Mozambique and improve at an international level,” she said.

Sunday’s event introduced a triathlon relay option, in which ten groups of participants took the opportunity to run together with family and friends. After the swim, the athletes tapped five of the next team member’s hands to continue the relay with the bicycle phase and finish with the sprint phase.

Several groups of friends and families participated, including Duncan Wyness and his sons Matthew and Daniel, who together finished first in the Family Relay category with a time of 1 hour and 6 minutes and 42 seconds.

They were followed by Enrique Madeira, Helen Henriques and Mila Henriques, who finished second, and Gustavo da Silva, Cristina Pinheiro and Bruno Guimarãe, who came third. Clubs competing in the category were Clube de Natação Barracudas de Maputo and Clube de Bicicleta Mabecos.

The Acacias Triathlon is supported by the Maputo City Council, Traffic Police and Maritime Police. Sponsors include Coca-Cola , Bonaqua, Sport Mania, Clube Marítimo, Inland Construção, Esférico Tv, Shark Vedações, IR Fitness Shop, Physical Power and Revimo.

The organisers look forward to welcoming these and additional sponsors and participants at the triathlon events next year.

Source: Federação Moçambicana de Triatlo · FMT / Press Release / Esférico