Every South African a Swimmer

Day 02 of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships

Day 02 of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships
Polokwane, Tuesday, 11th April 2017 - South Africa’s rising talent continued to shine during the second day of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships taking place at the Polokwane Town Swimming Pool in Limpopo.

After two days of competition, Gauteng Province is in the lead with a total of 84 medals (41 gold, 26 silver and 17 bronze), followed by KZN with 59 medals (23 gold, 19 silver and 17 bronze) and Mpumalanga with 25 medals (6 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze).

Free State’s Luan de Waal was a regular on the medal podium with a gold in the 100m breaststroke (14-15) in 1:09.41 and a silver in the 200m individual medley in 2:20.81, while 13 year old Brooklyn Croxon from Mpumalanga bagged two gold medals in the 100m breaststroke in 1:18.02 and the 100m freestyle in 1:02.70.

Gauteng’s Ryan Zasas (13) and Eastern Cape’s Alex Goddard (17) were also two times lucky on the night, with Zasas winning two gold medals in the 100m freestyle in 59.88 and the 200m individual medley in 2:30.50, while Goddard walked away with gold in the freestyle race clocking 54.07 and later won the bronze in the 50m butterfly in 27.05.

Eastern Cape’s Lesley Blignaut was fast off the block in the 100m freestyle finishing first in 59.56 and in the 50m butterfly; the 17 year old managed a silver medal clocking 29.90, while youngster Kian Keylock (12) from Gauteng won the 200m individual medley in 2:45.22 and the 50m butterfly in 32.43.

It was gold and silver for 12 year old Amy Muller from Gauteng, winning the 200m individual medley in 2:41.80 and finishing second in the 50m butterfly in 32.17, while KZN’s 13 year old Ambrin Pienaar claimed victory in her medley race in 2:37.52 and later won the silver in the 50m butterfly in 32.16.

The 100m breaststroke proved highly entertaining with Gauteng’s Benke Grobler winning the 11-12 age group category in 1:19.18, followed by Western Province’s Keeno Swarts (1:23.72) and Rafeeq Isaac (1:25.02), while in the 13 age group race KZN’s Ozzy Aromin swam to victory in 1:16.57 ahead of teammate Myles Lea (1:19.32) and Free State’s Cobus Moolman (1:22.24).

The top spots in the remaining 100m breaststroke events went to Gauteng’s Michael Deans (16) in 1:08.10, KZN’s Simei Bekker (11) in 1:21.07, Mpumalanga’s Kayla Schefermann (15) in 1:18.20 and KZN’s Emma Huxtable (16) in 1:18.98.

The fast times continued in the 100m freestyle as Gauteng’s Willem Roos (12) won his race in 1:03.90, while fellow teammate Ethan Spieker (15) grabbed the gold in his category in 54.43.  The ladies’ gold medals went to Gauteng’s Dieu van Jaarsveld (12) in 1:04.87 and Kelsea Munro (15) in 1:02.62.

Mpumalanga’s Giano dos Santos (15) and Eastern Cape’s Damien Fourie (16) bagged gold medals in their respective 200m individual medley event in 2:19.06 and 2:20.07, while the ladies’ first places went to KZN’s Tori Oliver (14) and Gauteng’s Jesica Smit (17) in 2:34.07 and 2:28.11, respectively. Oliver also went on to win the 50m butterfly in 30.37.

In the 50m butterfly events, the gold medals were collected by Free State’s Simeon Voster (13) in 29.26, KZN’s Lucas Beukes (15) in 27.28 and Gauteng’s Jan Moll (16) in 26.38, while on the ladies’ side, KZN’s Emma Christianson (12), Limpopo’s Kristin Lottering (13) and Gauteng’s Chante Cornelius (16) won in 32.10, 31.80 and 29.51, respectively.

In the multi-disability races, Thulane Mabuza (19) continued his winning streak in the S1-13 100m freestyle with a time of 1:05.02, while Pierre Dellieu (19), who recently qualified for the Deaf Olympics during the SA National Aquatic Championships, claimed the gold in his freestyle S14-15 event in 55.79.

On the ladies’ side, Gauteng’s Bongekile Sebeka won the S1-13 100m freestyle in 1:24.63, while her Provincial teammate, Moneque Edwards was victorious in the S14-15 category in 1:34.92.

The 100m S1-13 breaststroke gold medals went to Limpopo’s Nathan Struwig (11) in 1:59.23, KZN’s Khulekani Sikhosana (17) in 42.33 and KZN’s Mnqobi Macanda (17) in 41.43, while the ladies’ titles went to Gauteng’s Bongekile Sabeka (19) in 50.50 and KZN’s Snenhlanhla Majozi (17) in 1:01.27.

The 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships, which is organized by Sport and Recreation South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, Swimming South Africa and National Schools Aquatics, will continue tomorrow with the heats starting at 09h00 and the finals at 15h00 daily.

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Swimming South Africa
011 404 2480

Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.
Its objective is to encourage the practice of aquatic disciplines for all in South Africa with the purpose of promoting swimming as a life skill through Learn To Swim programmes; providing healthy exercise to South Africans of all ages and races; recruiting recreational swimmers to compete in the various competitions; and promoting competition and athlete development to the highest level. Swimming South Africa is kindly supported by SASCOC, National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, Arena, Sport & Recreation SA and Rand Water.