ITU Triathlon helps rebuild schools in Nepal and promote the sport

After the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal in April last year, the International Triathlon Union raised more than $10,000 with their Triathlon Family Nepalese Earthquake Emergency Fundraising Campaign. They now have new agreements in place to help rebuild a school in Nepal and create a Triathlon Talent School to promote the sport to the younger generation of athletes in the country.

The ITU’s fundraising campaign benefits the Nepalese people and the Nepal Triathlon Association. “I’d like to thank everyone that donated to the campaign, as well as to all of the National Federations that stepped forward to assist us in helping our friends in Nepal,” said ITU President Marisol Casado, who traveled to Nepal to see first-hand how the funds will be distributed.

On January 12th, 2016 the ITU and NTA signed a contract with the two schools that will be rebuilt with the funds raised. They will be merged into a new school called Shree Ganesh – Binayak Saraswoti Lower Secondary School. Students selected for the Triathlon Talent School will attend Shree Ganash for their education and live at the talent school’s hostels. The NTA will select young talent from around the country to attend the Triathlon Talent School to train at a high level in the sport.

Some of the funds donated by the ITU came from an ITU flag signed by Olympic triathletes that was auctioned off on eBay. Athletes such as Olympic medallists Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Javier Gomez Noya (ESP), Lisa Norden (SWE) and World Champions Gwen Jorgensen (USA) and Non Stanford signed the flag.