Every South African a Swimmer

Kate Beavon, Christin Mundell and Luan Grobbelaar add their names to the Youth Olympics Qualification List

Kate Beavon, Christin Mundell and Luan Grobbelaar add their names to the Youth Olympics Qualification List
Port Elizabeth, Tuesday, 24th April 2018 - Kate Beavon, Christin Mundell and Luan Grobbelaar turned up the tempo during the second day of the SA National Aquatic Championships and Youth Olympics Trials taking place at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Port Elizabeth.

Gauteng’s Beavon was over the moon with her Qualification time in the 200m freestyle, grabbing the gold medal in 2:03.27, just 0.08sec under the 2:03.35 requirement, while in the men’s event, Jarryd Baxter was fast off the block in 1:49.84 ahead of Ayrton Sweeney in 1:51.37 and Brent Szurdoki in 1:51.79.

KZN’s Mundell (16) added her name to the Qualifications list with a fast 1:10.72 in the 100m breaststroke, claiming the silver and shedding over a second from the 1:11.98 requirement. Kaylene Corbett won the gold in 1:10.66 and Emily Visagie the bronze in 1:11.46.

Mundell also finished top of the 200m individual medley semi-final in 2:20.71 and will be looking to improve on that time in tomorrow evening’s finals, while Grobbelaar also won his respective semi-final in a Youth Olympics Qualification time of 2:06.66.

There was no stopping Mariella Venter as she confirmed her Youth Olympics Qualification time in the 100m backstroke, beating out the competition by over 3secs and clocking 1:01.86 to Hannah Kiely’s 1:04.49 and Kerryn Herbst’s 1:04.62.

In the men’s 100m backstroke, Jacques van Wyk touched the wall in a golden 55.80, followed by Martin Binedell in 56.42 and Ian Venter in 57.55.

Michael Houlie (17) also confirmed his Youth Olympics Qualification time in the 100m breaststroke, matching his semi-final time of 1:02.57 and winning the silver medal ahead of Brenden Crawford in 1:02.74 and behind Alaric Basson in 1:02.14.

In the 50m butterfly, Olivia Nel, Michaela de Villiers and Jana Coetze made up the medal podium in 28.19, 28.38 and 28.56, while on the men’s side, Douglas Erasmus, Ralph Goveia and Alard Basson took the honours in 24.31, 24.55 and 24.91, respectively.

In the multi-disability races, Katelyn Marais (S9) won yet another gold in the 100m butterfly in 1:37.19, while in the men’s events, it was Caleb Swanepoel (S9) the came out on top in 1:09.49 and Ethan Paulse (S14) in 1:05.93.

In other results, the SA National Artistic Championships were also held at the Newton Park Swimming Pool last week and the Western Cape came out on top with a total of 224 points.

In the Figures event, Emma Manners-Wood won the gold with Laura Strugnell in second and Courtney Musson in third, while the youth medal podium was made up of Tayla-Jade van Huyssteen, Emlyn Spogter and Nina Smith.

Manners-Wood continued to her showcase her talent with another gold medal in the Technical Solo, with Strugnell coming in second, while the two ladies from the Western Cape also bagged the Technical and Free Duet gold medals.

Strugnell went one better in the Free Solo performance ahead of Manners-Wood, while KZN’s Giulia Torino scooped the gold in the youth section of the Free and Technical Solos.

The SA National Aquatic Championships will continue tomorrow with the heats session starting at 09:30, while the finals will begin at 18:00 daily.

The staging of this event has been made possible through the support provided by Swimming SA partners, Sport and Recreation South Africa, SASCOC, National Lotteries Commission, Arena and Rand Water.

A Qualifying Times – Youth Olympic Games – Day 02:

  • Michael Houlie – 100m breaststroke – 1:02.57
  • Christin Mundell – 100m breaststroke – 1:10.72
  • Mariella Venter – 100m backstroke – 1:01.86
  • Kate Beavon – 200m freestyle – 2:03.27
  • Riccardo di Domenico – 50m butterfly – 25.00 (SF)
  • Luan Grobbelaar – 200m individual medley – 2:06.66 (SF)

*SF – semi-final

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.