Rooi adds French bronze to golden start
Namibian para triathlete Jeromius “Jerome” Rooi’s season is gathering pace after he claimed a bronze-medal podium finish in only his second event of the year at the World Triathlon Para Cup in Besançon, France.
The bronze medal complements the gold-medal performance he delivered at the Africa Triathlon Para Championships a week earlier in Blue Bay, Mauritius.
Competing in the men’s PTS2 classification for athletes with severe physical impairments who compete in the standing classes, Rooi was the youngest athlete in the class and completed the 750m swim, 21km bike and 5km run course in 01:32:37.
The event was won by Jules Ribstein of France, who clocked 01:16:06 to take gold, ahead of compatriot Michael Herter, who claimed silver in 01:26:14.
Mateus Angula also represented Namibia in the men’s PTWC classification for wheelchair athletes, who use a handcycle on the bike leg and a racing wheelchair on the run leg.
Angula endured a difficult outing, finishing seventh after clocking 01:54:50. The men’s PTWC event was won by Frenchman Joseph Fritsch, who stormed to victory in a total time of 01:10:31.
Confident for LA 2028
Coach Jean-Paul Schmidt, who is accompanying the athletes in place of national head coach Naomi Schmidt, said she could not make the trip.
“[However], she is extremely excited about our prospects for para triathlon in the country and is even more confident now than ever that we can secure slots for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games,” he said.
Jean-Paul lauded the athletes’ valiant efforts in France, noting that the Besançon event is regarded as one of the toughest races on the para triathlon circuit.
“It is by far the most challenging route. The heat was extreme, and the event almost got cancelled because of this,” he said.
Schmidt added that Rooi was prepared for the event as he was familiar with the route. He braved the conditions despite challenges with his prosthetic leg due to sweating in the heat and humidity.
“Jerome’s swimming and cycling have improved a lot. He is still the youngest athlete in his class internationally, and his eighth-place world ranking keeps him in a strong position on the Paralympic qualification pathway,” he said.
Not out of the woods yet
Schmidt, however, admitted that they are not out of the woods yet, saying Rooi must defend or improve his position to remain among the leading athletes in his classification and stand a chance of qualifying for the Paralympic Games.
“We have two hard years of preparation ahead of us. The plan is not just to qualify, but to prepare ourselves to be medal contenders at LA 2028,” he noted.
Under the previous Paris 2024 qualification system, the top nine athletes in most medal events on the World Triathlon Paralympic Qualification Ranking earned quota slots for their National Paralympic Committees.
The LA 2028 system has confirmed men’s PTS2 as one of six men’s para triathlon medal events, but the final ranking-slot allocation for the class still needs to be confirmed through the official LA 2028 qualification criteria.
Angula praised
Besides Rooi’s standout performance, Schmidt believes Angula deserves special recognition after also starting his season with a podium finish by claiming bronze at the Africa Triathlon Para Championships in Mauritius.
He said the next 24 months will test Angula’s commitment and resilience as he pursues qualification for LA 2028.
“PTWC is the toughest class to compete in. He has only had about 18 months of competitive training, with France being only his fifth international event, but he has already [gained a lot of respect from his peers] with his progress,” Schmidt said.
He added that PTWC athletes face major physical challenges in the water, where they are unable to kick and balance in the same way, while cycling and racing in adaptive equipment also test them mentally.
Next assignments
Schmidt also confirmed to this publication that Rooi and Angula have been invited to speak to learners at a school in Potsdam, Germany, about their experiences and challenges in Africa.
“We will spend [some time here] at an Olympic high-performance centre for specialised training in the next 18 days before our next events in Germany and Hungary,” said Schmidt.
Angula and Rooi are expected to next compete on 12 July in the fourth and final leg of the 2026 World Triathlon Para Series in Hamburg, Germany, before heading to Hungary for the World Triathlon Para Cup on 18 July in Tata.
