NELSON MANDELA BAY IS CEMENTING ITSELF AS THE AFRICAN CAPITAL OF TRIATHLON
Published: April 08, 2025<< BACK TO NEWS
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The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has once again cemented itself as the African triathlon destination of choice. This was confirmed by the successful hosting of the African Triathlon Championships from 5 - 6 April 2025.
The event saw three hundred elite triathlon athletes participate in the incident-free event. The event was a closed event for elite athletes, who went through a qualification process. About 4000 supporters from within Nelson Mandela Bay, around the country and around the world came out to support the athletes and the event. This was confirmed by the 100 percent occupancy rate in all the hotels and lodges within the vicinity of the event.
The African Triathlon Championships are hosted on the back of the successful hosting of the Ironman Triathlon Championships from 28 - 30 March 2025.
Athletes from across the world, with most of them from the 11 African countries like Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe descended on Nelson Mandela Bay to compete for African glory. The event was also the BIGGEST paratriathlon field in Africa. In the Junior Championships, the athletes were vying for World Championship slot allocations.
The Presidents from World Triathlon & Africa Triathlon were in attendance to evaluate the City as a host and the race-course for suitability of hosting a World Cup event in 2026.
The success of the event did not only cement Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as the number one host in African Triathlon sporting events, but it has also helped the City in its efforts to position itself as a sporting destination of choice. This year alone, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, through logistical support, sponsorship and participation in organising, has successfully hosted a number of sporting event that include the Ironman Triathlon held last month.
Confirming the success of the African Triathlon Championship, Zsport Events Managing Director, Michael Zoetmulder said the success of the championships confirmed the readiness of the City to host the World Triathlon event. "The support we received from the Municipality has been great and has actually made this event the success that it was. We are thankful for all the support. The work that has been done so far is a solid foundation for us to host the Triathlon World Cup. Zsports Events is the company that was hired by Nelson Mandela Bay Triathlon to organise the event.”
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has a three-year sponsorship program for the African Triathlon Championships. This sponsorship includes funding and logistical support for smooth running of the event. Senior officials from the Municipality’s Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Directorate participate within the event’s organising committee in different roles depending on their expertise.
Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor, Cllr Babalwa Lobishe said, "The African Triathlon Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay stands as a testament to the spirit of excellence, unity, and resilience that defines our continent. This prestigious event not only showcases the remarkable talent of athletes from across Africa and world, but it also embodies the values of determination, sportsmanship, and community. We are proud to host this world-class competition in a city that has long been a beacon of hope and progress, and we look forward to welcoming competitors, spectators, and fans to celebrate the power of sport in bringing people together for future generations to come."
Nelson Mandela Bay Triathlon President, Garry Williams said the event has received positive reviews from the African and the World Triathlon leadership.
We are pleased with the success and the hard work that has been put into it. The Municipality has been a great host and partner. We have received letters of commendation from African and World Triathlon about the success of the event, a gesture we are humbly grateful for.
We are aware that both the African and the World presidents did not only come here to enjoy the event but were here to evaluate our capacity to organise and the capacity of the Municipality as the host. From the feedback we have received from both offices, I think we have passed the test,” said Nelson Mandela Bay Triathlon Association President, Garry Williams.
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