Anticipation is very high ahead of this year’s third staging of the Sun City Triathlon Championships, which is to be held at the Waves Beach in Portmore, St Catherine on March 18.

The event, with Courts as its title sponsor, is expected to attract over a 100 participants of various ages. Melaika Russell is the defending female triathlon sprint champion, while a new male champion will be crowned as Phillip McCatty, who won the two previous events, is unable to participate this year.

“There will also be a new category this year, which is the corporate challenge where teams from corporate Jamaica will be competing for the Courts Sun City Triathlon trophy.

Dane Wright, one of the organisers for the championships, said the event has been growing significantly since its inception three years ago.

“It is our third event and we have seen where it is growing because every year it attracts a different demographic of people,” said Wright. Last year we had a lot of kids and this year we are attracting a mid range between the teenagers, young adults and adults,” he said.

“We realised we have attracted a few persons in the 50 to 70 category with our eldest registered so far being 70 years old,” Wright stated.

“It is gearing up to be a fantastic event because registration is going well because we are ahead of where we were last year. There are persons who are gunning to come and participate in the event.”

Wright said triathlon is one of the fastest growing sports worldwide and therefore he is encouraging spectators to come out in their numbers and cheer on the participants in their respective events.

“Triathlon is always a fun-filled event because we have provided an opportunity for all age groups to come out and have fun,” he said. “We want the spectators to come and just see what the event is all about.

“It is a sport that is still growing because it is one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide and it will be no different in Jamaica and thus we have a title sponsor in Courts, who have come on board to make this a reality,” Wright said.

— Robert Bailey