Sport for animal welfare
Donata van Rooyen is taking on four duathlons and triathlons this year – not just for herself, but to raise funds for the Triglav Trust animal rescue service.Her journey started during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she first took up running. A training partner suggested swimming as cross-training, but Donata had never learnt to swim. At 30, she stepped into a swimming pool for the first time, where she met members of the MAC swimming club, who encouraged her to try a triathlon.
Intrigued, she gave it a go. Another running partner gifted her an old gravel bike, and before long she was training for multisport races. She completed her first duathlon in 2025 and is now preparing for her very first triathlon.
Her challenge for this year includes four events: the police checkpoint race near Rehoboth on Sunday, a10 km road race in Windhoek on 7 September, the Oanob Triathlon on 19 October, and the Paarl Off-Road Half Marathon on 6 December.
Donata’s efforts have already attracted backing – Transworld Cargo pledged N$20,000 – and she hopes more sponsors will come on board to help make a difference for rescue animals.