Closing of The Ayla Championship - The Asian Cup for Triathlon and Duathlon

Closing of The Ayla Championship - The Asian Cup for Triathlon and Duathlon

 

The closing of the Asian Triathlon and Duathlon Cup, hosted by the Ayla Oasis Development Company in cooperation with Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and organized by the Jordanian Triathlon Association, witnessed the participation of 230 professional players from 34 countries. Deputizing for the President of the Olympic Committee his Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, the Secretary General of the Olympic Committee Nasser Al Majali sponsored the closing of the Asian Cup for Triathlon and Duathlon championship.

Al-Majali crowned the first-place winners in the presence of Tom Carrasco, board member of Asia Triathlon, Ayla’s Managing Director Eng. Sahl Dudin and Dr. Tariq Al-Khayyat, President of the Jordanian Triathlon Association.

The results of the tournament were as follows:

Men Elite Triathlon Cup:

• 1st place – Mathew Wright from Barbados

• 2nd place – Lestyn Harrett from the United Kingdom

• 3rd place – Jason Taai Long NG – from Hong Kong

 

Women Elite Triathlon Cup:

• 1st place – Marlene Gone -Goggel from Germany

• 2nd place – Barbara De Koning from Netherlands

• 3rd place – Sara Vilic from Australia

 

The race witnessed fierce competition among participants, reflecting their advanced levels, particularly in the adult and junior categories, in light of the participation of senior players at the Asian level and on an international classification.

The triathlon race distances were 1,500 meters swimming, 40 kilometers cycling, and 10 kilometers running, which are the timings used in the Olympic Games within Ayla.

Ayla’s Managing Director, Eng. Sahl Dudin, congratulated the winners and expressed his joy at the success of the company's activities saying, "This prestigious global event is a step forward in transforming Aqaba into a global sports hub, in which we demonstrated our ability and great capabilities to host major events. It reflects our corporate vision of promoting a healthy sporting lifestyle while also emphasizing, supporting, and supporting our athletic youth.”

Dudin believes that hosting the fifth consecutive Asian Triathlon Cup in Ayla is valuable to sports tourism and highlights Jordan and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, as it attracts hundreds of participants from around the world and solidifies Jordan’s position on the regional and global tourism maps.

 Dr. Tariq Al-Khayyat, President of the Jordanian Triathlon Association, highlighted the tournament's success in promoting the presence of triathlon in the Middle East and around the world, which was evident in the tournament's results, confirming the institutional work carried out by the Jordan Olympic Committee and the Jordanian Triathlon Association in collaboration with the Ayla Oasis Company. Ayla's organization of this event within high levels of safety and public security played a significant role in making the tournament a distinctive success.  

According to Al-Khayyat, the Jordanian triathlon has made significant progress in recent years, and the recent successes are a source of motivation and pride to build on previous efforts and reach global positions.

Due to its high-level infrastructure, Ayla places high value on sporting activities and major events which represent its institutional aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle. Several Ayla-organized events and competitions boosted national tourism and commercial activity, particularly in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, while also promoting the Golden Triangle: Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Petra.