South Africa Wins Triathle Relay Gold in Madeira

Karlo Marais and Misha Meyer took the Under-11 Mixed Triathle Relay title at the 2026 UIPM World Championships in Funchal.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Swimming

Expressive sports illustration of a single athlete in green and gold sprinting along a turquoise sea-edge with volcanic cliffs behind. — South Africa's Karlo Marais and Misha Meyer won the Under-11 Mixed Triathle Relay gold at the 2026 UIPM World Championships in Funchal, Madeira, finishing in 7:59.20. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Karlo Marais and Misha Meyer won the Under-11 Mixed Triathle Relay at the 2026 UIPM World Championships, finishing in 7:59.20. They also claimed silver in the Under-11 Mixed Biathle Relay.

Why it matters

The result gives South African modern pentathlon-style multisport athletes a strong showing on the world stage at youth level. It highlights the growing depth of junior talent in the discipline.

Official race times show Marais and Meyer won the triathle relay in 7:59.20, just 0.10 seconds ahead of Portugal, with Great Britain third in 8:16.60. The source does not report the full field or any results disputes.

The players

Karlo Marais

A South African junior athlete and pupil at Curro Langebaan who won gold in the triathle relay and silver in the biathle relay.

Misha Meyer

A South African junior athlete who teamed with Karlo Marais to win the Under-11 Mixed Triathle Relay gold.

The details

The relay took place in Funchal, Madeira, as part of the 2026 UIPM World Championships. Triathle combines swimming, running and laser shooting, while biathle combines running and swimming.

2026 — UIPM World Championships held in Madeira.

Big Picture

Youth categories at UIPM World Championships serve as a pipeline for the multisport format that combines swimming, running and shooting. South Africa's gold and silver in these under-11 relays place its young athletes within that international pathway.

The results add two medals to the South African junior medal count from the championships. Fans following youth multisport can track these athletes' results in future UIPM events.

The takeaway

Youth multisport results at world championships often preview the next generation of senior competitors. Following junior results can give a clearer picture of where a country's talent is developing.