Traithlete takes on London final
Assagay resident and a member of the Kearsney Striders, Jennifer Rigby, was one of four Durbanites to compete in the World Triathlon Grand Final.
LOCAL athlete, Jennifer Rigby was among 80 South Africans who competed in the ITU Pruhealth World Triathlon Grand Final in London recently.
“It was an absolutely amazing experience to compete against the other countries,” said Jenny.
Eighty-six countries competed with a mix of athletes, from professionals and paraplegics to age groupers, who ranged from 25 years old to 75 years old.
Jenny placed 40th in her category. “The British, Canadian and Americans are very strong competitors,” she said.
The race took place in and around Hyde Park.
“My hotel was only ten minutes away from the park and cycling in London is on another level as everyone is so aware of both the cyclists and the pedestrians,” said Jenny.
The event consisted of a 40km cycle (two 20km circuits) through the centre of London, from Westminster and Buckingham Palace to Big Ben.
The swim, initially 1.5km in Lake Serpentine, was halved in distance due to low temperatures (15 degrees Celsius).
The final stretch of the event was a 10km run around Lake Serpentine.
“I trained twice a day from Tuesday to Friday, and on Saturday I trained for three hours doing a long cycle around Upper Highway and on Sunday I would take a long run. I didn’t go on a special diet but I did add in supplements and watched what I ate,” said Jenny.
To qualify to compete in the event Jenny completed the regional triathlon in Richard’s Bay in January, then took on the SA Champs where she nabbed fourth place. Jenny funded her trip to the UK herself.
“It was not easy to train for this event as you have to go through the winter and on your own. Carl Storm, a Hillcrest resident, was able to help me with my training by supplying me with a strict programme. The trip overall was absolutely phenomenal,” said Jenny.
