Taking triathlon by storm: Father/daughter team hope to win again
The father-and-daughter team of Keith (49) and Kelly (15) Vroon has set its sights on a second win in this year’s Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town as part of Team Fairmont High. The triathlon takes place on 25 and 26 April this year.
Kelly will be starting for the team with the swim leg, and her dad will take over from her for the cycling leg. One of Kelly’s school friends, Samuel van der Merwe (15) will finish off the race with the running leg. The team is aiming at their second win having won the Sprint team event in 2014. “Last year was our first triathlon entry at the inaugural Discovery World Triathlon Cape Town and we were thrilled with our win,” said Keith. “Kelly also won the Knysna Oyster Festival team triathlon last year.”
The native Capetonians enjoy spending their free time participating in sport. “I started running when I was 11 and now predominantly cycle, although I do cross-train with swimming and running,” said Keith.
Kelly, who’s in grade 10 at Fairmont High School, has been swimming and running for the past six years. She has represented South Africa at the Biathle World Championships for the past two years placing 6th and 7th respectively. She was also South African Biathle Champion in 2013 and SA Triathle Champion in 2014. Furthermore, Kelly was elected to swim Junior Swim Nationals in 2015. She took up cycling twelve months ago with a view to competing on the professional ITU circuit in the future. “My favourite disciplines are definitely swimming and running,” she says. “Initially I was more of a swimmer, but I’ve grown to love running and have become quite competitive. It’s now a close call as to which I prefer. I think running will become my favourite event, despite being a strong swimmer.”
Kelly suffered a broken ankle in November 2014 that required surgery, and although she has been able to swim during her recovery, she will only start running in April again. Says her dad: “If all goes well, she hopes to be fit enough to be elected to represent SA again this year at the World Triathle and Biathle Champs. Our first target is that we hope to win the Sprint team race in Cape Town for the second year running. We also plan to enter a number of local triathlons as Kelly builds up to becoming a fully-fledged triathlete.”
Kelly is massively inspired by the Brownlee brothers (Jonathon and Alistair) who are top contenders on the professional ITU triathlon circuit. “I follow the ITU circuit carefully and have read their books on their life stories and training regimens from when they were young, until becoming world champions,” says Kelly.
Join the action at the V & A Waterfront. For route information or to enter go to: http://www.capetown.triathlon.org/enter/.
We dare you to tri!
