Bianca and Annika Strydom, two students at the University of Pretoria and members of TuksSport, represented South Africa at the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) World Championship in the USA, where they won gold and silver respectively.

The biathlon took place in Sarasota, Florida, and consisted of a continuous 1 600 m run, a 200 m open-water swim and another 1 600 m run. Bianca was crowned world champion with her gold win and Annika, who was close behind her, received the silver medal. The course was extended this year, meaning that the twins have set the pace for future competitions.

'This sport is unfamiliar in South Africa, whereas it is very popular in the US. We hope that it will reach its full potential and receive the acknowledgement it deserves in our country,' says Bianca. The pair only decided to participate in biathlons two years ago and have achieved many successes, both locally and internationally.

Bianca and Annika are currently first-year investment management students, and also run a sports development venture, Twin Sports. 'Sport is our passion and we hope our achievement will encourage others to do what they love while doing what they must to get there,' says Annika.

For more information on biathlons, contact the UIPM South Africa at [email protected].