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Triathlon has big potential in Arusha

By Arusha Times Correspondent  

Several private firms in Arusha have pledged to promote triathlon, a multi-sport event which involves swimming, riding and running.

Company chief executives said at the end of the sprint triathlon organised in the city last weekend that the sport has a big potential for the area taking advantage of the expatriate and business community.

"This sport has a bright future in Arusha because many people seem to like it", said  Mr. Zane Swanepoel, the managing director of  Soda King, a newly-established beverage company based here.

One of the teams that participated in the triathlon and won medals

He was speaking on Sunday at the climax of the four-hour triathlon competition which attracted 127 participants at the sports grounds of  TGT Club on the outskirts of Arusha.

Among the sports enthusiasts who took part in the four-hour event were 35 children under 12 years, 19 kids aged 13 to 18 as well as adults,  all grouped in a three-person teams each.

Mr. Swanepoel, the 51-year old former general manager of TanzaniteOne Mining Company, said he would team up with other firms to ensure the sport was well promoted in Arusha and its environs.

Besides the companies, the promoters would also reach out the private schools to popularise the sport, he explained as winners in the event gathered at the pitch to receive prizes.

Mr. Peter Lindsdom of the Arusha-based Hoope Safaris said the business community in the area was in full support of the initiative. At the age of 64, he was the oldest competitor. The youngest was seven.

A tour operator Mr. Armstrong Nyaka of the Africa Trails Safaris Limited said the event should be held each two to three months because it also promoted interaction among the business people.

However, other enthusiasts interviewed decried the poor turn out of the ordinary Tanzanians, other than the expatriates and the foreign business community, and suggested something should be done to address that.

"It has been a good event with a good turnout. But they should do more advertising to attract more local people into the sport", said  Ms Leila Raza, a logistics officer with Ujumbe Ink Limited.

The winners were presented prizes in ten different categories. The main sponsors of the event, according to Mr. Swanepoel were his Soda King, FMD East Africa which supplies agricultural machinery, Knight
Support, Fit Heron and Tanganyika Game Trackers (TGT).

Triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequestial endurance events. In its popular form the sport involves swimming, cycling and running.

Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time, including timed 'transitions' between the individual swim bike and run components. Triathlon races vary with distance, the game experts say.

According to International Triathlon Union and US Triathlon, the main international race distances are sprint distance are 750 metres (swim), 20 kilometre bike riding and 5km running.

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