Amidst the WTCS racing taking place this weekend, M’Diq, in Morocco, will play host to the next African Cup on the calendar. At least on the men’s side, it is shaping up to be one of the best African Cup races of the year.
WTCS medallist Jawad Abdelmoula headlines the event. The home favourite won a bronze medal at the last World Cup race of 2022 and is the reigning African champion. With perhaps the most running speed of the field, he will look to seal the win in the later stages of the race.
He will be joined by his compatriot Badr Siwane. The African Games winner back in 2019, Siwane has steadily been improving on the international stage. He is a member of the ASICS World Triathlon Team which is earmarked to support athletes in countries like Morocco that are fairly new to the top level of the sport.
Although Siwane’s last Continental Cup podium came in 2021, he has often raced well in front of home crowds and could make it a Moroccan double on the podium.
However, Tim Hellwig will provide stiff competition. Hellwig won WTCS Hamburg in 2021 and is one the most promising young talents in the sport. He also will arrive in Morocco in form. At the weekend, he won a non-drafting triathlon in Buschhütten.
By a quirk of coincidence, both Abdelmoula and Hellwig won their sole WTCS medals at the same venue.
In a straight shootout between Abdelmoula and Hellwig it is hard to say who would win. Abdelmoula might be on paper the slightly better runner, but Hellwig has a ferocious sprint finish in his arsenal. The tactical element of the run in M’Diq will therefore be pivotal.
Then there is Richard Varga. The stalwart of the WTCS circuit is still going strong and can be trusted to up the ante in the water. For anyone looking to take the sting out of Abdelmoula’s run, Varga’s speed in the swim might be the best means of doing so.
In addition, there are plenty of Continental Cup medallists from earlier in the season racing.
Lukas Pertl won the Asia Cup in Hong Kong while Ayan Beisenbayev won the African Cup in Maselspoort. Likewise Matthew Wright of Barbados medalled in Swakopmund and Panagiotis Bitados won silver on his international debut in Nelson Mandela Bay.
One athlete to pay close attention to will be James Edgar. After earning bronze medals in Maselspoort and Nelson Mandela Bay, Edgar won the African Cup in Troutbeck.
In M’Diq, athletes from all continents are due to take part, making it one of the most diverse African Cups on record. In total fifty-five men are slated to step up to the start line. With a tantalising mix of WTCS medallists, in-form athletes and home standouts, the race promises to be a highlight of the African Triathlon Union’s calendar.
Only fourteen women are currently due to start. While the event does not have significant depth in the women’s race, there are a number of women to keep an eye on.
Anabel Knoll is the leading athlete on the start list. After multiple WTCS top-10s last season, she really established herself at the highest level of the sport. However a spell of rotten luck with injuries and illness has forced her to feel her way back to her top shape. Whether she arrives in Morocco at her best remains in doubt (and potentially unlikely). Still, she is a skilled enough athlete to contend for the win.
Barbara De Koning is the form athlete of the field following a string of African Cup victories this year. Races such as those in M’Diq have been her bread and butter of late and it is easy to forecast another win for her. One question will be over where she is in her training. De Koning will be racing at WTCS Cagliari later this month so may be training through M’Diq. As such, she will not be infallible.
Both Sara Vilic and Márta Kropkó will also be in the conversation for the win. Kropkó, in particular, will look to use her strength in the swim to stretch the field. If she can generate some kind of breakaway, she could surprise Knoll and De Koning.
