August was a busy month with athlete development projects taking place across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. From regional camps and race preparation to YOG development, the programmes brought athletes and coaches together from different NFs, creating opportunities to train, compete, learn and prepare for competition.
Team Europe
The 2026 Moletai Team Europe brought together seven athletes from CRO, FIN and SLO, with 43% female participation. The race was ultimately cancelled after strong winds brought down trees across sections of the bike and run course. While disappointing for the athletes, safety had to come first.
“I am delighted to be back leading a Team Europe project, and it was fantastic to run it alongside the Moletai Development Camp. It was a real pity the race had to be cancelled, but the safety of the participants had to come first. The wind was so strong that a number of trees came down on the bike and run course, so cancelling was the right call. I am proud of how the athletes and staff handled a difficult situation, and I look forward to the next opportunity to bring the team together.” – Vicent Beltran (ESP), Team Manager
“I'm glad to be part of projects that strengthen my confidence and motivation by giving me a rare opportunity to meet, train and prepare for a race with other triathletes.” – Kaisa Keränen (FIN)
“I am very happy that I got the opportunity to be part of the team and meet new people. I hope that I will learn something new and be able to use it in further training.” – Jan Štefanac (CRO)
Team Asia
The Team Asia project commenced in 2026, seeking to provide athletes from Asia Triathlon with international experience while also exposing them to support in an international team environment. The 2026 Turkestan Team Asia team invited six athletes from IND, IRI, TPE and UZB, with 50% female participation. Diana Biktimirova (UZB), Ruslan Karnilov (UZB) and Dolly Devidas Patil (IND) competed in the 2026 Asia Triathlon Cup Turkestan, while Wu Ssu Hui (TPE), Sadra Ebrahimi (IRI) and Sarungbam Athouba Meitel (IND) lined up for the 2026 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup Turkestan. The standout results were Sadra Ebrahimi (IRI) – 4th, Junior Men, Ssu Hui Wu (TPE) – 9th, Junior Women and Diana Biktimirova (UZB) – 9th, Elite Women
“It feels great to be part of a team! I really enjoyed our daily activities together and leading to the race.” – Sadra Ebrahimi (IRI), Athlete
“This is my first year to race Standard Distance… I am looking forward to further improving.” – Diana Biktimirova (UZB), Athlete
Americas | Two Camps - One Development Pathway
The Americas hosted two World Triathlon Development Regional Camps in August, with programmes in Lima, Peru, and Asunción, Paraguay.
Asunción: Building Towards Dakar 2026
The 2026 Asuncion Americas Triathlon – World Triathlon Development Regional Camp ran from 6–24 August and brought together 32 participants, with 35% female participation, representing National Federations from URU, VEN, COL, CRC, GUA, ECU, PUR, ARG, BAR and CUB. The programme combined training, education and international competition, with athletes preparing for both the 2026 Development Regional Cup in Asunción and the 2026 World Triathlon Cup Callao Lima. The camp also provided an important opportunity for athletes selected for the Dakar 2026 YOG to train and compete together ahead of the Games. Benjamin Hockin, President of the Paraguayan National Federation, was also involved in the programme as a special guest.
“There was a great atmosphere of camaraderie during these two weeks, where, for example, everyone helped each other to overcome important personal situations and that has led to a greater unity of the whole group and made all these athletes much stronger.” - Javier Mon (ESP), Americas Triathlon Continental Coordinator
Lima: another opportunity to learn and compete
The 2026 Lima Americas Triathlon – World Triathlon Development Regional Camp formed the second part of the August development activity in the Americas. Together, the two projects demonstrated the value of creating connected development opportunities across the Americas, allowing athletes to experience different competition environments while building relationships with athletes and coaches from other National Federations.
Africa | Preparing the Next Generation
Africa hosted two important development projects in August, with a strong focus on young athletes and preparation for the Dakar 2026 YOG. The 2026 Kilifi Africa Triathlon – World Triathlon YOG Development Camp brought together 14 athletes, with 42% female participation, from ALG, KEN, MRI, NAM, MOZ, TUN and ZIM. The project was an opportunity for athletes to prepare together ahead of the YOG, while developing the relationships that will continue into competition.
“We look forward to a united Team Africa upon arrival in Senegal for the 2026 YOG.” – Rick Fulton (ZIM), Africa Triathlon Continental Coordinator
In Kigali, the 2026 Kigali Africa Triathlon – World Triathlon Youth Development Camp involved 16 athletes, with 37% female participation, from RWA, MOZ and SEN. The camp also included representatives from the Rwandan National Federation and the Embassies of Algeria and France. While training was at the centre of the programme, there was plenty of evidence that development is also about creating an enjoyable and engaging environment for young developing athletes.
“Singing is part of African popular culture, and many post-training sessions or return bus trips after training have proven it.” – Laurent Massias (FRA), FRATRI & TRI Head Coach
“After long swim sessions in particular, athletes came back full of energy, singing and laughing; a real sign of the positive environment Laurent built even under a heavy load.” – Maya Farah (MOZ), Coach
Moletai | Developing Athletes and Coaches Together
The 2026 Moletai Europe Triathlon – World Triathlon Junior Development Camp was one of the largest August projects, with 38 athletes from 10 NFs - CRO, EST, FIN, LAT, LTU, MLT, SLO, SVK, CYP and UKR, with female athletes making up 40% of the group. Seven coaches were also involved in the project. For the athletes, the camp provided an opportunity to train in a large international group and experience different coaching approaches. Camps are not simply about bringing athletes together to train. They are also environments where coaches can develop their skills, exchange ideas and gain experience working within an international setting.
“I had a very positive experience attending the training camp as a coach. It was a great opportunity to work closely with the athletes, support their development, and learn from other coaches and different training approaches.
The camp also gave me valuable practical coaching experience in an international environment, while allowing me to observe the athletes closely and identify areas where we can continue to improve. Overall, it was an enjoyable and valuable experience for both my coaching development and the athletes.” – Charles Muscat (MLT), Coach
“I am very happy that I got the opportunity to be at the camp and meet new people. I hope that I will learn something new and be able to use it in further training.” – Jan Stefanac (CRO), Athlete
Ongoing Athlete Development
Across August, World Triathlon Development programmes gave athletes the chance to train and compete alongside athletes from other countries, experience new environments and learn from different coaches. Some athletes also prepared for their first major Games. The camps also gave coaches the opportunity to share ideas and learn from each other, while athletes built skills and an understanding of triathlon that can continue long after the camp has finished.