By Khalifa Hemed
Published May 1, 2017
Amateur and professional athletes drawn from across Kenya challenged their physical capabilities by competing in sprint triathlon and duathlon events as April 2017 raced to its inexhorable end.
The Ruiru edition of the Team Tri Fit National Triathlon and Duathlon Series had come to central Kenya’s Ruiru district of Kiambu County to nurture the sport of triathlon in Kenya, enhance domestic and international tourism through sports and raise half a million shillings for the purchase and upkeep of gym and rehabilitation facilities at the National Spinal Injury Hospital in Nairobi while at it.
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Bob Odhiambo won the men’s event that comprised 750m swim, 26KM Cycle and 6.5KM run in one hour and 52 minutes; he was followed by William Nanjero, Mwenda Gitonga, Oliver Johnson and Kennedy Orce in that order.
The winner of the women’s sprint triathlon, in two hours and nine minutes, was Becky Summers; Angela Ndegwa was second and Angelique Libese third.
Other races that were hosted on the day were the Sprint Team Challenge and Sprint Duathlon as well as the Children’s Triathlon Challenge that Team Tri Fit says is part of its youth-development initiative.
While Nairobi-based Velo Nos Cycling, captained by Charles Mbugua Ngumi, took first place in the sprint team triathlon challenge, Krishan Shah took first place in the Children’s category with a 500m swim, 12KM cycle and 4KM run.
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David Muthuri took first place while William Muchina Karo came in second in the duathlon challenge.
Falgun Bhojak, the Race Manager, said the Ruiru race had seen “an increase in team participation which is testament to the sport taking root locally.”
Bhojak appealed to more people to take it up the sport.
