Josh bags triathlon top spot

LOCAL athlete, Josh Steytler, claimed first place in the kick-off of the Tin Man Sprint Triathlon series held at Suncoast recently.

The matric learner at Kearsney College said the temperatures had already reached the high 20s before the race started at 7.20am.

“It was a very hot, humid day in Durban. I was feeling great at the start and knew I had to perform in the swim to come out with the top pack for the bike leg,” said the determined 16-year-old.

The conditions in the surf for the swim looked choppy but the water was warm and Josh opted to compete without the use of a wetsuit.

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“The swim was not as bad as I thought and I came out the water in sixth place, only a mere 30 seconds behind the front pack,” he said.

He shaved off another 10 seconds during the transition onto his bicycle. Despite the headwind, Josh continued to dig deep and, on lap two of the four lap course, he took the lead.

On the last lap, he pulled away with another contender and they went into transition, mere metres apart. ‘If I could just keep up my pace, I should be able to take the win’ Josh continued to repeat to himself.

“At the 2.5km turn around mark, I was feeling good and had a great pace. It was during the last 1km that I knew the win could be mine. Running through the race finish and breaking the ribbon was an awesome feeling,” said Josh.

He claimed the top podium finish in the sprint class.

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