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SINGAPORE : The Triathlon Association of Singapore will select the final two athletes for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in April.
Those who are in the running received some timely tips on Thursday from the professionals who are here for this weekend's Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore race.
The rain did not stop three of Singapore's best young triathletes from taking to the waters off the East Coast.
It is not everyday that the best in the sport, like New Zealand's Bryan Rhodes, are here to give them pointers in their quest to be part of the selection squad for the YOG.
One favourite is Scott Ang, a winner of the 2009 Osim Singapore International Triathlon.
The ACS(I) student is not too worried that Singapore will be competing through a wildcard, as they finished 4th behind Hong Kong in the Asian qualifiers last year.
He said: "It's a very important race to actually get more experience and exposure. Learning from other athletes and the race itself, I feel, is what the whole YOG is for - the athletes - in Singapore."
For Travis Woodford, who came in second at the Osim event last year, the YOG is critical. The St Patrick's schoolboy is taking two years off his studies to prepare for the Games in August.
Woodford said: "Last year was a big problem for me. I had some problems before the race. For sure this year, it will be a better race."
The competition should be easier for the top girl, Clara Wong, winner in the girls category at the same Osim event. She has set her sights on next month's Osim Singapore Triathlon.
The winners - a boy and a girl - will represent Singapore.
The tips from the pros should make a difference.
New Zealand professional triathlete Bryan Rhodes said: "We did a little bit of drafting like swimming behind each other because drafting in swimming is allowed and also allowed on the bike in this race. You can get a big benefit, so you don't have to use a lot of energy."
Rhodes is hoping to be energized himself, to improve on his 5th place finish in last year's Singapore Ironman race. But it will not be easy, as the field this year is bigger, with 1,400 competing, higher than the 1,000 in 2009.
- CNA/al
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