PUTRAJAYA – Putrajaya will host the Asia Triathlon Cup season opener on February 25 which will see up to 130 international elite athletes converge in the nation’s administration capital.
Sanctioned by Asia Triathlon, the one-day event to be held at the Putrajaya Watersports Complex will offer world ranking points invaluable to those trying to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics in July.
The format of the race will be contested in a sprint format, featuring a 750m swim, 20km cycle, and a 5km run.
Among notable names who have signed up for the event is Kyotaro Yoshikawa of Japan, as well as China’s Fan Junjie and Wang Nanhe, who are Asia’s number 10, 11 and 14 respectively.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Bailee Brown, Asia’s number 6 and two-time Asian Games bronze medallist is set to headline the women’s elite race.
National champion Isaac Tan will carry Malaysia’s challenge as he aims to gain valuable experience competing against the best in the continent.
This year’s Asia Triathlon Cup series has confirmed a schedule of 16 events with Kota Kinabalu hosting the other leg in Malaysia on November 2.
Malaysia Triathlon Association vice president Dr Alex Khoo Peng Chuan said this event can be used to prepare local young triathletes for the 2026 Senegal Youth Olympics.
“The sport of triathlon is not just in the Olympics but also in the Youth Olympics. The next one will be held in Senegal in 2026.
“So our youngsters can use this event for exposure and gain experience for Senegal 2026. The youngest athlete in our elite competition is 16 years old.
“This competition will give our young triathletes invaluable experience competing at the highest levels.
“This event can be seen as an investment for our athletes. What we sow today we can reap in two or three years,” said Alex after the launch of the event today.
The last Asia Triathlon Cup event held in Malaysia was in 2022 in Ipoh. — January 31, 2024