Akil Baptiste,15, a student at St. Anthony’s College is the new Caribbean Triathlon Union (CTU) sprint triathlon champion. He won the title on Sunday in Barbados ahead of 24 others in a time of 1 hour 13.37. However the run leg of the race was 6.112km instead if 5km.
Taking ninth spot, after suffering a spill in the cycling leg of the race was 17 year old Johnathan Paul in a time of 1:17.17.
Both Baptiste and Paul are hoping to compete at the first-ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore next August.
Four other Trinidadians in the Sprint event included veteran Jacqui Jodhan who placed ninth in 1:25.40; Maria Gooding who placed 17 in 1:35.54; Stan Patino who was 22 in 1:42.35 and Rebecca Cross who was 24 in 1:43.59.
National Triathlon Champion, Ancil Greene, 33, placed sixth in the Olympic distance (twice the Sprint distance) in 2:34.35. That race was won by Barbadoian Jason Wilson, who also won the Rainbow Cup in May.
Next year the third annual Caribbean Triathlon Union Championships will be held on Saturday May 29 in Tobago.
Article published on Nov 03, 2009.