A large contingent of athletes from East London are hard at work preparing for the World Biathle/Triathle Championships being held in Sarasota, Florida next month.
Sixteen athletes from East London in total were selected as part of either the SA team or the Invitational President’s team to take part in the event from October 18-27.
The 11 athletes who qualified for the SA team in their various divisions are Rodney Westgate, Paul Elliot, Teko Khetsi, Matthew Raath, Emily Raath, Kiara Herman, Amber Herman, Nathan Gallacher, Daniel Breetzke, Carter Preston and Ben Heuer.
The other five athletes to make the president’s team are Zachary Smith, Kara Batting, Rachel Webb, Sheree Brandt and Tiffany Scott.
“These athletes all competed in the South African Championships held in Bela-Bela in June and were selected for these teams,” said Biathle/Triathle coach, Sammy Saunders.
“The SA team are all the athletes whom either won their races or ended within 10% of the winner’s time, while the other athletes were selected on invitation to the president’s team.”
Some of the athletes have been to the world champs before, so head over with experience.
Rodney Westgate and Nathan Gallacher both returned to SA as world champions in 2014 after competing in Guatemala.
“I am quite confident that Nathan Gallacher, Daniel Breetzke, Ben Heuer, Emily Raath, Paul Elliot and Rodney Westgate will all do very well at this champs due to their positions at the SA champs where they all either won or finished as runner-up,” said Saunders.
However, other athletes will also be looking to do well and come in with a lot of experience, such as Khetsi, who has competed on the world stage multiple times before.
Khetsi has been doing biathle for seven years. He has competed for the SA team in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Russia before and he will look to use that wealth of experience at the world champs.
Also adding excitement to the competition will be the team event.
“They have a team Biathle Competition where the top boy and girl from SA will team up and compete against the other countries. We should also do extremely well in this event as most of our East London-based athletes will compete in this event due to their placing at the recent South African Championships,” said Saunders.
EL stars aim to shine at world champs
Sixteen athletes from East London in total were selected as part of either the SA team or the Invitational President’s team to take part in the event from October 18-27.
The 11 athletes who qualified for the SA team in their various divisions are Rodney Westgate, Paul Elliot, Teko Khetsi, Matthew Raath, Emily Raath, Kiara Herman, Amber Herman, Nathan Gallacher, Daniel Breetzke, Carter Preston and Ben Heuer.
The other five athletes to make the president’s team are Zachary Smith, Kara Batting, Rachel Webb, Sheree Brandt and Tiffany Scott.
“These athletes all competed in the South African Championships held in Bela-Bela in June and were selected for these teams,” said Biathle/Triathle coach, Sammy Saunders.
“The SA team are all the athletes whom either won their races or ended within 10% of the winner’s time, while the other athletes were selected on invitation to the president’s team.”
Some of the athletes have been to the world champs before, so head over with experience.
Rodney Westgate and Nathan Gallacher both returned to SA as world champions in 2014 after competing in Guatemala.
“I am quite confident that Nathan Gallacher, Daniel Breetzke, Ben Heuer, Emily Raath, Paul Elliot and Rodney Westgate will all do very well at this champs due to their positions at the SA champs where they all either won or finished as runner-up,” said Saunders.
However, other athletes will also be looking to do well and come in with a lot of experience, such as Khetsi, who has competed on the world stage multiple times before.
Khetsi has been doing biathle for seven years. He has competed for the SA team in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Russia before and he will look to use that wealth of experience at the world champs.
Also adding excitement to the competition will be the team event.
“They have a team Biathle Competition where the top boy and girl from SA will team up and compete against the other countries. We should also do extremely well in this event as most of our East London-based athletes will compete in this event due to their placing at the recent South African Championships,” said Saunders.
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