Natalie Ross of Grahamstown represented Eastern Province in the Elite category of the Manguang Metro African Duathlon Cup on Sunday, earning the Elite silver medal.
Natalie Ross of Grahamstown represented Eastern Province in the Elite category of the Manguang Metro African Duathlon Cup on Sunday, earning the Elite silver medal.
The champs took place from the Cricket Oval, University of the Free State Bloemfontein.
The Elite athletes covered the olympic distance – made up of a 10km run, 40km cycle and 5km run.
The Elite athletes started after the age groupers and covered a different cycle route.
Ross, competing in her first race as a senior Elite athlete, did well to run side by side with experienced Elite athlete Jodie Berry of Central Gauteng.
Berry went on to make up time on Ross in the cycle leg, while Ross made up a minute on the final 5km run, but this was not enough to haul in Berry who claimed the South African championships gold.
While the age group athletes completed four 10km loops in the cycle, the Elite athletes stayed in the university campus, covering eight 5km loops.
Ross said it was great to represent her province at Elite level and said she enjoyed the race.
Although Ross, and the other Elite others may have had slower times than normal, Ross said the cycle route was very technical and included numerous sharp turns as well as several speed humps in each loop.
Terri-Lynn Penney scooped gold in the Long Distance event, which covered a 15km run, 60km cycle and 7.5km run.
Penney was the first woman overall in the long distance event, as well as first in the 35 to 39 age category.
In the junior category, Grahamstown was represented by Taryn-Maie Wille of Kingswood and Stuart Hobson of St Andrew’s.
Both competed in the 18 to 19 Sprint Distance, which covered a 5km run, 20km cycle and 2.5km run.
Taryn-Maie finished fourth in her age group, missing the bronze medal by 1 minute. Stuart finished in 14th position in the competitive male event.
ATU African Duathlon Cup, Bloemfontein (Grahamstown provincial athletes):
Long Distance (15km run, 60km cycle, 7.5km run) 35 to 39 female:
1. Terri-Lynn Penney 3:40:14 (1:08:22 run, 1:53:42 cycle and 35:49)
Elite Female, Olympic Distance (10km run, 40km cycle and 5km run):
1. Natalie Ross 2:30:14 40 to 44 male, Olympic Distance):
7. Stephen Penney 2:23:14 (44:57 run1:12:07 cycle and 23:58 run)
18 to 19 Female, Sprint Distance (5km run, 20km cycle and 2.5km run):
4. Taryn-Maie Wille 1:20:19 (24:36 run, 42:58 cycle and 11:37 run)
18 to 19 Male, Sprint Distance: 14. Stuart Hobson 1:15:34 (21:17 run, 41:43 cycle and 11:09 run).
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