The sequence of biathletes is run-swim-run, while athletes in triathletes compete in a swim-runshoot format. Van Heyningen and teammate, Michelle Staal, took second place in the biathle 50-59 age category.

He also took sixth place in the triathle individual competition with a time of 13:00.6 and obtained eighth place in the biathle with a time of 12:04.00. The South African men’s team consisting of Van Heyningen, Ruper Pierre Groenewald and Rodney Westgate took first place in the biathle 50-59 age category with a combined time of 33:09.05.

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They also took first place in the team competition of the triathle with a combined time of 36:24.14. “After competing in several Iron Man competitions and running the Comrades ultramarathon I decided to do shorter and faster races and through doing biathlons I found out more about biathle and triathle,” says Van Heyningen.

He took up the sport about a year ago and is pleased to represent the country. “One area where I had an advantage is with the sea swimming. I am a strong swimmer and I know how to figure out the currents and was able to make up time,” he concludes.