Story by Anashe Murombedzi
ZIMBABWE’S junior athletes delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup held in Nyanga, claiming three medals and reinforcing the country’s rising reputation in the sport.
The strong showing by the young triathletes highlights the growing potential of Zimbabwe’s next generation of athletes, with several competitors already making their mark on the international stage.
Sixteen-year-old Rachel O’Donoghue produced a standout performance in the elite women’s event, securing a bronze medal against more experienced competitors.
“It was an amazing experience for me. I really enjoyed racing with much stronger people and I am gonna take a lot away from this race, which is really good,” she said.
In the junior men’s category, Zimbabwe dominated the podium with Zander Botha claiming gold while Callum Smith secured silver.
The performance provides a major confidence boost for the athletes as they prepare for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics scheduled for Dakar.
“To me, it means that I know that I can compete against international athletes. It also helps me with my confidence in future big races like these in other countries, so I can represent my country,” Botha said.
Government has welcomed the strong performance by junior athletes, saying it reflects the positive impact of youth development programmes in sport.
Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Emily Jesaya said the results demonstrate the importance of sustained investment in junior development.
“We are also happy because we have our junior athletes who have performed in this tournament and won silver medals as well as gold medals, which gives us joy and excitement to know that the future of sports in Zimbabwe is brighter, especially when we have the junior categories doing so well.
“It shows that we have juniors that are going to represent the country in the senior and lead sports tournament as we are going forward, and it also tells us that there’s something that we are doing right as far as sports policy in terms of junior development is concerned,” she said.
The 2026 edition of the Bonaqua Africa Triathlon Cup also featured a broader multi-sport festival format, bringing together triathletes from 12 countries.
