Terri-Lynn Penney, a local athlete, will represent South Africa at the Dextro Energy ITU Triathlon Championship in Budapest, Hungary from 8 to 12 September. But she says it’s been a tough road so far due to some injuries and raising funds for her trip.
Terri-Lynn Penney, a local athlete, will represent South Africa at the Dextro Energy ITU Triathlon Championship in Budapest, Hungary from 8 to 12 September. But she says it’s been a tough road so far due to some injuries and raising funds for her trip.
After finishing fourth at the South African Triathlon Championships in the women’s 30 to 34 years age group, Penney qualified for the international champs.
Besides making the SA triathlon team this year, she was also selected for the Eastern Province Duathlon
Team (in her age group) as well as for the EP 21km road running team in the senior women’s section.
The world triathlon champs is made up of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and a 10km run. “The standard of tri-athlon in SA is very high, so then internationally it is higher,” says Penney.
She doesn’t know much about her competitors though, as it is her first time competing in a world championship.
“I would have liked to be more fitter, but injuries have held me back,” she adds, talking about how she got back in shape after fracturing her ankle.
The funding for the trip has had to come out of her own pocket and other forms of fundraising, which includes Penney selling refreshments after a local fun-run as well as going around Grahamstown selling muffins.
Penney thanks the various businesses, organisations and individuals for helping her with expenses towards her trip which has worked out to over R30 000.
