Dehan Louw and Kerryn Leonard were crowned champions of the fourth SEESA Jozi Triathlon after a thrilling day of racing at a packed CR Swart Dam on September 26.

Louw left it late to secure victory in the men’s race, while Leonard dominated from the opening swim stroke to claim the women’s title.

The in-form Louw, who entered the race on the back of victories at the Midlands Ultra Triathlon and Garden Route Triathlon, produced a devastating attack on the second lap of the 10km run to overhaul race leader Scott Fisher and cross the finish line in 02:03:58.

Fisher controlled the opening 1.5km swim, taking the lead after the first turn buoy and opening a sizeable 50m gap on the chasing pack.

He emerged from the water in 20:13, followed by Roberto Gomes in 20:25 and Kelvin Steyn in 22:21. Louw was further back in 16th place after clocking 23:19.

Louw, however, began eating into Fisher’s advantage on the 40km bike leg, posting the fastest time of 01:04:26 to move into second place heading into the final transition.

Fisher remained in front after completing the bike leg in 01:05:51, with Steyn third and youngster Nicholas Horne fourth.

Louw then turned up the pace on the run, gradually closing the gap before moving past Fisher on the second lap.

He completed the run in 36:12, with Horne producing an impressive 37:22 to overhaul Steyn and secure third place. Fisher finished second on the run in 39:36.

Fisher secured the runner-up position for the second consecutive year in 02:05:41, while Horne, the winner of the men’s sprint-distance race in 2024 and 2025, completed the podium in 02:09:06.

Louw praised organiser Glen Gore for another well-run event and said the venue provided a refreshing challenge for South African triathletes.

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“It’s an interesting one. The vibe is different to what we are used to in South Africa. Usually it’s long and flat courses. This challenges you. I would definitely recommend people to come and bring their time-trial bikes. It’s a fantastic course. The swim was fantastic. The run is fast and flat. I’ve got nothing to complain about,” he said.

Leonard, meanwhile, was in complete control of the women’s race.

She led from the opening 1.5km swim, emerging from the water in 26:46, ahead of Sofia Goedhart in 27:04 and Robyn Greyling in 28:19.

Leonard extended her advantage on the 40km bike course, which took competitors through Morehill and Rynfield, clocking 01:18:47. Goedhart followed in 01:22:25, while Greyling entered the second transition in third after completing the bike leg in 01:24:32.

The run followed a similar script, with Leonard maintaining her lead to complete the 10km course in 45:57. Goedhart clocked 48:31, while Greyling produced the fastest run of the women’s field in 45:25.

Leonard crossed the line in 02:31:31 to claim the women’s title, with Goedhart second in 02:38:01 and Greyling just 17 seconds further back in 02:38:18.

“It was a good day out. The swim was good. I started out in the middle. We had a long run to the transition. I then hopped on the bike. I love the bike. It’s a nice course through the suburb, which was quite nice. I felt strong in the run. Overall, I’m happy,” said Leonard.

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