N

ational athletes from various sports will compete against each other when they take part in an international triathlon at Jimbaran Beach in Bali next month.

The organizers said the event was aimed at promoting and popularizing the sport in the country.

The national athletes include swimmers Andy Wibowo and Ira Kurniawan, cyclist Nurhayati and marathon runner Maria Lawalata.

Andy was a silver medalist at the 2007 Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in Thailand.

Several national triathletes who represented Indonesia in the 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali will also compete in the event, which goes under the official name of the MRA Bali International Triathlon.

The competition, first staged in 2007, will take place on June 28, incorporating a 1.5-kilometer swim along Jimbaran Bay, a 40-kilometer bike ride along the island's southern peninsula, Ungasan and Nusa Dua, and a 10-kilometer run through villages and markets around the bay.

"Triathlon is currently the fastest-growing sport in the world. It is very challenging because the participants must compete against themselves to be able to excel in swimming, biking and running to the finish line," retired national swimmer Richard Sambera said Tuesday during a press conference.

Sambera is also on the participants' list this year, but will compete in the individual category after he joined the team category last year, when the former regional swimming star was only able to finish fourth in the swimming competition.

Australian Luke McKenzie won the men's title, while Rachael Gaudry triumphed in the women's draw of last year's competition, which featured 355 participants.