Doha: Under the auspices of the Qatar Cycling & Triathlon Federation, TriClub Doha hosted a special Junior Triathlon in partnership with the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha.
Triathlon is a test of endurance featuring running, cycling and swimming stages.
As many as 40 junior athletes aged 8 to 16 participated in the races held recently at the MIA Park.
The stages included 100m to 200m swimming in the open waters of the park’s lagoon, a 3km to 6km bicycling leg, and a 1.5km to 3km run. Stage difficulty varied between age groups.
Two brother-sister combinations topped the fields in the two youngest age groups. Arran Cameron and Amelia Bennett in the 8-10 year category, and Ethan Bennett and Ailsa Cameron finished top of the 11-12 year olds field.
In the third age bracket of 13-16 year olds, William Browne and Pia Hampel won the boys and girls races.
The young athletes were supervised by a team of 50 volunteers and race marshals from TriClub Doha.
They utilised the Club’s modern electronic race timing equipment to ensure accurate timekeeping, supported by wireless services from Vodafone.
The event was sponsored by Mannai Auto and GMC who provided the equipment and race garb, as well as the winners’ trophies.
GMC have been avid supporters of the TriClub’s activities in recent years, and serve as title sponsors of the Aspire GMC TriSeries which tests athletes, young and old, across the picturesque Aspire Zone facility in four challenging multi-event meets each season.
GMC has had a long history in Qatar of supporting active outdoor pursuits and continues to sponsor many triathlon events in the country with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles as well as the mental fortitude that is a natural companion to the training regimen of these athletes.
Jamal Al Kuwari, Executive Director of the Qatar Cycling & Triathlon Federation in his congratulatory statement said that the federation is pleased to support the development of triathlon amongst the youth of Qatar.
He also encouraged the efforts of bodies such as the TriClub in maintaining a steady stream of competitive events throughout the year.
The Club’s events feature stages customised for people with varying levels of endurance and are, most importantly, accessible to anyone wishing to participate.
Ewan Cameron, President of TriClub Doha, on presenting the prizes to the winners said: “We are extremely pleased with the development of public interest in triathlon. The number of new participants grows each year and we are especially honoured to welcome young aspiring athletes to the club.”
“Our more experienced members are always willing to guide and mentor new members of any age and we would like to thank them for their efforts in organising a very professional event at the MIA Park.:
Cameron added: “Triathlons are about endurance, willpower and a strong work ethic. It takes commitment to succeed in any triathlon and we are glad to see that our young participants are developing values which will help them sustain their future life and health habits.”
Daniel Brown, Acting Director of the MIA said as hosts to the event, they were pleased to share the Park and its facilities to promote strong community events and draw new fans to growing social activities such as triathlon, with a landmark of Doha’s modern community architecture at its heart.
The Peninsula
