SEMATAN: Two teenagers from Kota Kinabalu overcame very different challenges to emerge victorious in their respective categories at the Borneo Triathlon 100 in Sematan.
Mohammad Radzmin Ryan Mohammad Zakiyah battled through lost spectacles and a mechanical issue to win the Men’s 16-29 category, while Shannon Liaw Xiao Xuan claimed the Women’s 16-29 title after taking on triathlon instead of competing in a standalone swimming event.
Both competed in the Sprint Individual category, which comprised a 750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run.
Radzmin completed the race in 1:13:49 to top his category, while Shannon clocked 1:18:56 to finish first among the women.
The teenager said his race was far from smooth, having encountered several setbacks along the way.
“Basically, I was trying to find my spectacles and when I looked for them, they weren’t there. Then during the cycling segment, my chain dropped and I had to waste more time there,” he said.
Despite the delays, Radzmin managed to recover and work his way back through the field.
“I had to catch up with them,” he told Sarawak Tribune after the race at Sematan Palm Beach Resort today (June 21).
The 16-year-old said his triathlon journey began through his involvement in swimming.
“First, I was doing swimming, then I saw the poster and decided I wanted to join,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shannon said she initially planned to compete in swimming before deciding to take on the challenge of triathlon instead.
“I was supposed to swim, but it was too competitive, so I changed and joined the triathlon,” she said.
Asked about the race conditions, Shannon described the event as physically demanding but praised the road conditions in Sematan.
“The roads are smooth, smoother than Kota Kinabalu,” she said.
The pair, who train almost every day while balancing their studies, are among Sabah’s emerging young talents in endurance sports.
