The Discovery Triathlon World Cup race in Cape Town is set to be an all-South African affair with Rio Olympians Henri Schoeman and Richard Murray set for a battle royale on Saturday.
Schoeman overshadowed Murray at last year’s Rio Olympic Games, finishing one spot ahead of him to claim the bronze medal.
South Africa’s two top triathletes finished 2016 in the top-5 on the world rankings.
“The Olympic Games was an amazing experience and all the focus beforehand was on Richard Murray,” Schoeman said. “I was still trying to get that breakthrough race and be someone to look out for at every race.
“To follow the bronze medal up with my first WTS win was perfect, because I felt the need to silence some critics who were writing me off shortly after the Games already.”
Following his bronze-medal achievement in Rio, Schoeman won the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Mexico.
Schoeman said he needed to show that his performances in 2016 were not a mere flash in the pan, starting in Cape Town.
“I have to prove to myself and my critics that I am here to stay,” Schoeman said.
“I will be racing a new bike tomorrow. That was customised for me. It is really special. It has some bronze in it. I am excited to race on it in Cape Town it will turn a few heads I think.”
Murray won the Commonwealth Games bronze in 2014 before finishing the 2015 season fourth on the overall world rankings after winning his second World Triathlon Series title.
He suffered a major setback months before the Olympic Games when he broke his collarbone in a crash in Australia in April. The gritty Capetonian bounced back to win his maiden ITU World Duathlon title.
Murray looked primed to challenge at the Games but instead it was Schoeman who got onto the podium.
“The event in Cape Town is both a stepping stone as well as a home race for me,” Murray said ahead of the weekend’s World Cup event.
“I love to race at home and have been wanting to win on home ground since the event was started four years ago. And the great thing is that it is awesome to see the growth of multisport in South Africa.”
Former junior world champion and compatriot Wian Sullwald could spoil the party for Schoeman and Murray and will be looking to finally excorcise the ghosts of injuries past.
Meanwhile, the women’s race is expected to be a two-horse race between Jolanda Annen of Switzerland and Ai Ueda.
Ueda, ranked fifth in the world, finished seventh in Cape Town last year and will be looking to finally get onto the podium.