US-based Zimbabwe Elite triathlete Andie Kuipers left the triathlon course with renewed vigour despite the 2023 Americas Triathlon Cup Sarasota, USA, her first race of the season not going according to plan.
The former Peterhouse Girls student was on the battlefield against 37 other Elite Women from various parts of the world.
She finished in position 31 in 01:07:01. South Africa’s Amber Schlebusch took gold in 00:55:55. Katie Zaferes of the USA and Mexican Sofia Rodriguez Moreno finished in second and third in 00:56:07, and 00:56:33 respectively.
The Wingate University athlete is targeting to qualify for both the Paris 2024 and the Os Angeles 2028 Olympics.
She had hoped to garner the vital Olympic Qualification points. Still, she placed just outside the eight per cent of the winner’s time due to an indifferent swim.
“My race wasn’t as I expected it to be. I had a bad swim which set me up for a hard rest of the race, and unfortunately did not get any points,” Kuipers told EnterSportNews.
“It’s the beginning of a long season. Hoping for an upward trajectory from here.”
After finishing up her third-year Clinical Psychology, Kuipers said the coming two Olympic events remain a top priority.
“I am targeting both the 2024 and 2028 Olympics, as I will still be young and finishing up University. I know that 2024 will be a challenge to get to. However, I have committed to giving my best to be at Paris 2024 Olympic Games but still with my long-term goal to compete and be racing at the highest level at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” she added.
“To qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games would feel like a dream. Trying to balance a degree and competing all over the world as well as for my University has been a lot to take on these past three years, and so to see all the work and efforts that have been put in by myself and the team around me in Paris would be amazing.”
