Home|Sports|Aballi optimistic about The Bahamas’ teamSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailAugust 25, 2023 21 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The head coach for The Bahamas at the 2023 CARIFTA Triathlon and Aquathlon Championships, Marcos Aballi, is optimistic that the host country will place high at the event at Goodman’s Bay this weekend.

The two-day event which is set for Saturday and Sunday, will have The Bahamas taking on their counterparts from the Caribbean region. Head Coach for The Bahamas Marcos Aballi said preparation has been tough but good.

“They have put in a lot of a time for training. Triathlon is a sport that has a lot of moving parts. When you are training as a team you have athletes in groups doing cycling, running or swimming. It is very tricky and a lot of man power is needed. The athletes are in very good shape and we are hoping that on race day, they can perform well,” Aballi said.

There are some athletes who Bahamians are expecting strong performances from, such as Malcolm Menzies, Launy Duncombe, Sibby Potter, Ayden Bain, Erin Pritchard and Issa Bournas. However, Aballi said that it does not mean anything as triathlon is unpredictable.

“We have different athletes who are looking good,” Aballi said. “There are a lot of moving parts in triathlon. For instance, you can be the best athlete in the world or competition and then get a flat tire on the bike. That means that that person will be out of commission for the race.”

Aballi said that the team’s health is good. He said some of the athletes are dealing with some knick knacks but they will be good to compete this weekend.

“It is a part of being an athlete. Most of the team are in good shape and healthy. Those who are not fully healthy this year can look forward to next year. The team is in good spirits and in a good place and they are looking forward to this weekend. They are going to do well,” Aballi stated.

The sport has been growing and more kids are involved in the sport but notes Aballi noted that there are some struggles facing the sport.

“The sport still struggles with the public driving with persons who are cycling. Sometimes, we are training and we fear that someone is going to knock us down. Some persons do not have access to bicycles either. We have our challenges and we have our struggles but it is a sport that is growing. We are trying to do everything we can to push the sport,” he said..

Aballi is appealing for corporate sponsors to help in getting bikes and supplements for the athletes in the sport moving ahead.

CARIFTA action gets underway on Saturday with the triathlon starting at 7:30 a.m. On Sunday, the aquathlon will be held, starting at 7:30 a.m.