East London is set to make history during this weekend’s feast of triathlon action at the Orient Beach, with the hosting of the 2015 Buffalo City International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Paratriathlon Event on Sunday.
In a first for Africa an international paratriathlon event will be hosted on the continent and East London has the honour of hosting the first one.
Some of the world’s top paratriathlon talent will grace the event with points that will go towards qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics up for grabs.
Twelve countries, including South Africa, will be represented at the event, with quite a few of the paratriathletes ranked in the top 10 in the world in their various categories.
The athletes are categorised by five different levels of disability with one being the least able and five being the most able.
East London Paratriathlete Gaelyn Cokane is the the only local competitor in the paratriathlete event and she will be looking to enjoy her outing among the world’s best.
“It was a huge surprise. It was a goal I had put on my calendar for next year.. it’s a huge honour,” said Cokane.
It is just Cokane’s fourth triathlon and first world event after she qualified by winning her section in the SA qualifier during the Sunshine Coast Triathlon a few weeks ago and she will be racing in the P4 category.
“Weather dependant I would like to take five or 10 minutes off my previous time, which is a big ask, but I’ve been working hard and I am committed,” said Cokane.
Of the paratriathletes competing the highest ranked in the world in their class is Britain’s Melissa Reid who is currently ranked first in the world in the women’s P5 division.
Other top ranked women include another British Paratri Clare Cunningham, fourth in P4 and Spanish paratriathletes Rakel Mateo Uriarte, sixth in P2 and Eva Maria Moral Pedrero ninth in P1.
On the men’s side some very enticing battles are expected.
In the P1 event Italian Giovanni Achenza is ranked seventh in the world and should be considered favourite.
In the P2 section Frenchman Staphanie Bahier and Italy’s Giovanni Sasso, who are ranked fifth and ninth in the world respectively, should have a good tussle.
In P3 only SA’s Dylan Da Silva is entered in the event.
Da Silva, who is ranked 13th in the world, will embrace the opportunity to take some valuable points and he will also look to give the outright win a go after he claimed the overall victory at the Sunshine Coast event a few weeks ago.
The P4 category looks to be the most competitive with France’s Yannick Bourseaux and Russia’s Yalchik Alexander the highest placed on the world rankings at eighth and 10th respectively.
SA’s Oswald Kydd, currently sitting at 16th in the world, will also fancy his chances in the division while Nico Nel (34th), Stan Andrews (37th), Chris Wagner (40th), and Nicolas Newman (46th) in the world, will also look to give it a good go.
In the P5 category Slovenia’s Alen Kobilica, ranked seventh in the world, will begin as favourite.
During the paratriathlon event 16 Selborne College pupils have volunteered to help the P1 paratriathletes to and from the water on the swim leg of the event.
The 2015 ITU Sprint African Cup Triathlon for elites and South African Triathlon Championships will also be battled out on the beachfront on Sunday, with many local competitors, as well as athletes from around the world and the rest of SA involved.
World’s best to hit Orient
In a first for Africa an international paratriathlon event will be hosted on the continent and East London has the honour of hosting the first one.
Some of the world’s top paratriathlon talent will grace the event with points that will go towards qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics up for grabs.
Twelve countries, including South Africa, will be represented at the event, with quite a few of the paratriathletes ranked in the top 10 in the world in their various categories.
The athletes are categorised by five different levels of disability with one being the least able and five being the most able.
East London Paratriathlete Gaelyn Cokane is the the only local competitor in the paratriathlete event and she will be looking to enjoy her outing among the world’s best.
“It was a huge surprise. It was a goal I had put on my calendar for next year.. it’s a huge honour,” said Cokane.
It is just Cokane’s fourth triathlon and first world event after she qualified by winning her section in the SA qualifier during the Sunshine Coast Triathlon a few weeks ago and she will be racing in the P4 category.
“Weather dependant I would like to take five or 10 minutes off my previous time, which is a big ask, but I’ve been working hard and I am committed,” said Cokane.
Of the paratriathletes competing the highest ranked in the world in their class is Britain’s Melissa Reid who is currently ranked first in the world in the women’s P5 division.
Other top ranked women include another British Paratri Clare Cunningham, fourth in P4 and Spanish paratriathletes Rakel Mateo Uriarte, sixth in P2 and Eva Maria Moral Pedrero ninth in P1.
On the men’s side some very enticing battles are expected.
In the P1 event Italian Giovanni Achenza is ranked seventh in the world and should be considered favourite.
In the P2 section Frenchman Staphanie Bahier and Italy’s Giovanni Sasso, who are ranked fifth and ninth in the world respectively, should have a good tussle.
In P3 only SA’s Dylan Da Silva is entered in the event.
Da Silva, who is ranked 13th in the world, will embrace the opportunity to take some valuable points and he will also look to give the outright win a go after he claimed the overall victory at the Sunshine Coast event a few weeks ago.
The P4 category looks to be the most competitive with France’s Yannick Bourseaux and Russia’s Yalchik Alexander the highest placed on the world rankings at eighth and 10th respectively.
SA’s Oswald Kydd, currently sitting at 16th in the world, will also fancy his chances in the division while Nico Nel (34th), Stan Andrews (37th), Chris Wagner (40th), and Nicolas Newman (46th) in the world, will also look to give it a good go.
In the P5 category Slovenia’s Alen Kobilica, ranked seventh in the world, will begin as favourite.
During the paratriathlon event 16 Selborne College pupils have volunteered to help the P1 paratriathletes to and from the water on the swim leg of the event.
The 2015 ITU Sprint African Cup Triathlon for elites and South African Triathlon Championships will also be battled out on the beachfront on Sunday, with many local competitors, as well as athletes from around the world and the rest of SA involved.
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