Juniors ready for World Champs

Triathlon
Brian Munango
  • 2 Months Ago 18 October 2024
The Namibian Triathlon Federation will be represented by one junior and one para-athlete at this weekend’s World Championships in Torremolinos, Spain.

Para-athlete Jerome Rooi secured an impressive second-place finish at the Para Cup event in Alhandra, Portugal, last weekend. The determined young amputee athlete crossed the finish line just one minute behind the winner, Javier Rubio from Spain. His performance in Portugal is a testament to his dedication as he prepares for.

The 20-year-old Rooi’s journey has been supported by his coach, Naomi Schmidt, who has been instrumental in his recent successes. Under her guidance, Rooi has seen significant improvements, slashing his previous best times. Once averaging a time of 1 hour 45 minutes for the Sprint distance, Rooi recently clocked in at an impressive 1 hour 22 minutes.

Speaking after the event in Portugal, Schmidt said: “We've learnt a lot here, and we've been exposed to many other coaches who are willing to assist us with tips on improving both training and technique.”

Alongside Rooi, Namibian junior triathlete Maja Brinkmann is also preparing for another good performance under the spotlight.

The talented young athlete is set to compete in the World Triathlon Championship race, scheduled for tomorrow in Spain.

Brinkmann, who turns 17 next month, won a bronze medal for Namibia at the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games at Buccoo Beach in Tobago last August, behind only Aspen Anderson of Australia and Jessica Heeps of Scotland.

After training tirelessly for this weekend’s big moment, Brinkmann expressed her excitement ahead of the big race. “The familiarisation day was great! I got to check out the course, and it’s really exciting to be part of this atmosphere. I’m looking forward to seeing all the athletes competing.”

Both Rooi and Brinkmann are shining examples of Namibia’s continued presence on the international triathlon stage. Their dedication, coupled with the support of their coaches and the Namibian Triathlon Federation, has paved the way for what promises to be an exciting and competitive showing against some of the world’s best athletes in their category.