FOUR triathletes from the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation backed Elite Athlete Development Programme, are currently in the Netherlands as part of an exchange programme with the Olympic Training Centre Papendal and High Performance Centre CTO Zuid.
The four EADP athletes are Mhlengi Gwala, brothers Mfanufikile and Mlandeni Radebe and Sebastian Crawford (Para-triathlete).This has been made possible through an agreement signed last month at the 10th International Forum on Elite Sport to cement sport development ties between Prime Human Performance Institute (Prime HPI) at Moses Mabhida Stadium and Olympic Training Centre Papendal and High Performance Centre CTO Zuid in the Netherlands.
The agreement will see co-operation and support on athlete, coach and administrator development in both countries.The athletes will be based at Papendal, one of Europe’s leading Olympic Training Centers and home of the Netherlands Triathlon Federation. Managing Director of Prime HPI Brendon Goodenough is looking forward to what this relationship can produce in the future after such a positive start.
“We are grateful to Papendal for their support of this Legacy Project and are excited about the opportunity that this presents for our development athletes.We are proud to be in a position where we too can add value to other developing athletes,” said Jochem Schellens of Sportscentrum Papendal.
Lawrence Haw, president of KZN Triathlon, believes that this exchange program can only be beneficial for all parties involved.“To have our athletes attending the best high performance centres in the world will be incredible for their growth and aspirations. The facilities and coaches are excellent and the experience and knowledge that the professionals at Sportcentrum Papendal have and can pass on to our athletes will be invaluable.It is an incredible opportunity and we know that all of the athletes involved are going to make the most of being in such a hi-tech set-up,” he said.
All four the athletes will take part in the World Triathlon Series Grand Final in Rottedam this week. Mfanufikile and Mlandeni Radebe will be taking part in the sprint distance event in the 20-24 age bracket that includes a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run. Mhlengi Gwala will take part in the Olympic distance event in the 25-29 age category. Sebastian Crawford, who is currently ranked seventh in the world in para-triathlon, will take part in the PT3 category.
