TriClub Doha, under the auspices of the Qatar Cycling & Triathlon Federation, has hosted a special Junior Triathlon in partnership with the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha.
Triathlons are tests of endurance featuring running, cycling and swimming stages.
Forty junior athletes aged eight to 16 years participated in the races held recently at the MIA Park.
The stages included 100m to 200m swimming in the open waters of the park’s lagoon, a 3km to 6km bicycling leg, and a 1.5km to 3km run. Stage difficulty varied between age groups.
Two brother-sister combinations topped the field in the two youngest age groups. While Arran Cameron and Amelia Bennett won in the 8-10 years category, Ethan Bennett and Ailsa Cameron finished on top in the 11-12 years segment. In the third age bracket of 13-16 years, William Browne and Pia Hampel won the boys’ and girls’ races, respectively.
The young athletes were supervised by a team of 50 volunteers and race marshals from TriClub Doha. They utilised the club’s electronic race timing equipment to ensure accurate timekeeping, supported by wireless services from Vodafone, according to a statement.
The event was sponsored by Mannai Auto and GMC, who provided the equipment and race garb, as well as the winners’ trophies.
“GMC have been avid supporters of the TriClub’s activities in recent years, and serve as title sponsors of the Aspire GMC TriSeries, which tests athletes, young and old, across the Aspire Zone facility in four challenging multi-event meets each season,” the statement notes.
Jamal al-Kuwari, executive director of the Qatar Cycling & Triathlon Federation, said they were pleased to support the development of triathlons among the youth of Qatar. He also encouraged the efforts of bodies such as the TriClub in maintaining a steady stream of competitive events throughout the year.
The club’s events feature stages customised for people with varying levels of endurance and are accessible to anyone wishing to participate.   
Ewan Cameron, president of TriClub Doha, said on presenting prizes to the winners: “We are extremely pleased with the development of public interest in triathlons. The number of new participants grows each year and we are especially honoured to welcome young aspiring athletes to the club.”
Daniel Brown, acting director of the MIA, said as hosts of the event, they were pleased to share the park and its facilities to promote strong community events and draw new fans to growing social activities such as triathlons.