Ok Tedi to host major triathlon event next month

TABUBIL will be a festival of multi-sport events when it hosts a major triathlon event in the mining community next month. Spearheaded by the Ok Tedi mine’s occupational health and safety and recreational departments, the triathlon aims at promoting a healthy, active lifestyle and encouraging participation in sport in the mining community. UpSouthEvents’ event coordinator, Stephen Damien was in Tabubil over the weekend meeting with Ok Tedi organisers to finalise the course and preparations for the event in August.
“It will comprise events for children as well as adults over that weekend,” he said. 
“The kids’ events will be run in a junior (7-11) and a senior (12-14) category on Aug 11. 
“We hope to receive entries from the three major schools there – the international school, the community school and Tabubil High School.
“The adults event will comprise of individual and team categories over a 750m swim, a 20km bike run and a 5km run on Aug 12.
“The swim course will be held at the community swimming pool, with the cycling and run legs through the mining township.“OTML’s OHS and recreation departments are leading the drive to stage this event with the concept of encouraging active participation, especially by locals in Tabubil. 
“The aim is to engage the residents in some form of active sport to build healthy lifestyles.
“In this endeavour, OTML is planning on flying up PNG triathletes from Wewak and Port Moresby to showcase and promote the event with locals.
“The youngsters from Wewak are all seasoned triathletes from the Sepik Iron Man event. 
“Port Moresby triathletes are yet to be confirmed but we’re hoping they will attend,” Damien said.