Van der Merwe and Newman clinch SA sprint titles

Van der Merwe clocked 57:46 in the men's race, while Newman crossed the line in 01:05:10 to win the women's title.

March 10, 2026

Lebohang Pita 2 minutes read

The women's top two are runner-up Karla Grobler and winner Hannah Newman. Photo: Lebohang Pita

Pieterjan van der Merwe and Hannah Newman were crowned South African champions at the SA Sprint Triathlon Championships, held in conjunction with the African Triathlon Cup, at Ebotse Golf and Country Estate on March 8.

Their victories came in a race dominated by European athletes, highlighting the noticeable gap in depth, race execution and overall pace between SA’s elite triathletes and their international counterparts.

The SA sprint Triathlon Championships men’s champion Pieterjan van der Merwe (right) with runner-up Matthew Fisher. Absent: Michael Hesse. Photo: Lebohang Pita

The U23 men’s top three are runner-up Matthew van Coller, winner William Pearson Inman and third-placed Joshua Steytler. Photo: Lebohang Pita

The international field controlled the tempo across all three disciplines and ultimately dictated the outcome of the race, leaving the local contenders chasing from early on and underlining the challenge SA athletes face in closing the performance gap on the global stage.

Van der Merwe claimed the national title in 57:46, with Scott Fisher second in 59:08, while Michael Hesse completed the top three in 01:00:45.

The U23 women’s champion, Kirsten Engelbrecht. Photo: Lebohang Pita

Thana Groenewald chases Kim Engelbrecht to the finish. Photo: Lebohang Pita

“It’s always nice to get a little bit of recognition. This was my first elite race in four years. So, it does give me a little bit of confidence. I think if I do a little bit more, it will be even better,” said Van der Merwe.

Newman held her own in the elite women’s race dominated by international athletes. She claimed the national women’s crown in 01:05:10 and was ninth overall.

Karla Grobler, who won the SA sprint triathlon champs at the same venue last year, clinched the runner-up spot in 01:05:44.

Hannah Newman won the SA Triathlon championships women’s title. Photo: Lebohang Pita

Giving her analysis of the race, Newman said, “It’s my first elite race in two years. I’ve been training mostly for 70.3 or middle distance triathlons, so it was quite tough to come and do a sprint race off of training for endurance. But I’m happy to take the national title. I think it’s a good stepping stone back into short-course racing for me.”

William Pearson Inman won the U23 men’s title in 55:49, with Matthew van Coller second in 58:17. Joshua Steytler clocked 58:26 for third place.

Kirsten Engelbrecht produced a thrilling sprint to the finish to beat Thana Groenewald to the U23 women’s crown. Engelbrecht crossed the line in 01:07:10, a second ahead of Groenewald.