Day 01 of the SA National Junior Age Group Swimming Championships
This year’s competition also doubles as the official trials for the 7th FINA Junior World Swimming Championships and 14 year old Hannah Roberson was the first to add her name to the list in a golden time of 4:23.44, to the 4:23.82 requirement, followed by Leigh McMorran in 4:27.29 and Kelly-Ann Brown in 4:27.63, while on the boy’s side Leshen Pillay clocked 4:17.37 to win the gold ahead of Reece Johnson in 4:19.95 and Thomas Forbes in 4:26.47.
Ethan du Preez (15) and Matthew Sates (15) both raced under the 4:05.53 FINA qualification requirement when they bagged the gold and silver in 4:00.73 and 4:03.27, with the bronze going to Luca Holtzhausen (15) in 4:06.05, while Aimee Canny, Sune Liebenberg and Trinity Hearne made up the ladies’ medal podium in 4:27.63, 4:29.78 and 4:31.02, respectively.
The FINA Junior World Championships qualification times were coming in fast as Ruan Breytenbach (16) and Gavin Smith (16) added their names to the list in 4:01.37 and 4:04.20, while Dune Coetzee (16) and Rebecca Meder (16) also swam under the requirement in 4:15.02 and 4:19.48, winning the gold and silver in the process. The bronze medals went to Gina Miller (16) in 4:31.89 and Dylan Wright (16) in 4:07.53.
In the 17-18 age group races, Botswana’s James Freeman swam to a golden qualification time of 3:56.40 ahead of Calvin Coetzee in 4:02.21 and Dante Nortje in 4:06.08, while Kate Beavon (18) walked away with the ladies’ gold in 4:19.10 to Janie Coetzer’s 4:25.73 and Jordan-Jenna Rolfe’s 4:26.98.
In the U12 category, Keegan Wright (12) claimed the gold in 4:40.54 ahead of MJ Findlay (12) in 4:40.79 and Connor Reinders (12) in 4:40.83, while on the ladies’ side it was Kairah George (12) who won the top spot in 4:48.42, followed by Timara Froneman (11) in 4:52.40 and Zoe Griffiths (12) in 4:59.98.
Namibia’s Jose Canjulo, Kian Keylock and Ross Paterson made up the 13 age group medal podium in 4:19.73, 4:20.89 and 4:21.41, while Ruby Dixon, Tazmyn Robson and Samantha Lowman scooped the gold, silver and bronze medals in the ladies’ category in 4:35.05, 4:38.69 and 4:43.25, respectively.
The SA National Junior Age Group Championships will continue tomorrow with the heats starting at 08h30 and the finals beginning at 17h00.
SA Qualifying Times – FINA World Swimming Championships – Day 01:
Hannah Robertson (14) – 400m freestyle – 4:23.44
Dune Coetzee (16) – 400m freestyle – 4:15.02
Rebecca Meder (16) – 400m freestyle – 4:19.48
Ethan du Preez (15) – 400m freestyle – 4:00.73
Matthew Sates (15) – 400m freestyle – 4:03.27
Ruan Breytenbach (16) – 400m freestyle – 4:01.37
Gavin Smith (16) – 400m freestyle – 4:04.20
ENDS
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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.