With bi- and triathletes from across the country descending on Curro Nelspruit for the 2025 SA Biathle and Triathle Championships, the Mpumalanga team was undeterred and shone brightly.

Hundreds of the country’s top athletes flocked to Mbombela for the national championships, the highest level of biathle and triathle competition in South Africa. Seven provinces were represented by just under 500 athletes, and the competition was fierce over the two days.

Held at Curro Nelspruit on October 4 and 5, the triathle was held on Saturday, followed by the biathle on Sunday. The triathle also included the laser run, which adds an entirely different challenge to an already tough race.

In the triathle, the Mpumalanga team was in red-hot form, scooping up no fewer than 11 medals. They fared particularly well in the U17 girls category, achieving a clean sweep of the podium with Jessica Matthysen first, Lara Janse van Rensburg second, and Janke Steenkamp third. Other golds in the triathle went to Hilton Vos (U11 boys), Hannah Morgado (U13 girls), Zoe Janse van Vuuren (U15 girls), and Giann Wessels (U17 boys).

While Sunday wasn’t quite as fruitful for Mpumalanga, the team still raked in six medals, with Jessica and Lara once again taking first and second in the U17 girls category. Hilton and Hannah also repeated their victories in their age groups.

In total, Team Mpumalanga received 17 medals – eight gold, five silver, and four bronze – capping a highly successful 2025 national championships. In addition to the medals, no fewer than 30 of Mpumalanga’s athletes have been selected to represent South Africa at the World Championships in December.