The South African swimming team heads to Algeria for the 13th CANA Swimming and Open Water Championships
The team will be out to defend their title, which they claimed at the Bloemfontein edition in 2016 with a total of 61 medals (33 gold, 16 silver and 12 bronze).
Mzansi’s Erin Gallagher will be among the country’s big medal hopefuls at the seven-day championship as she takes on the 50 and 100m freestyle, the 50 and100m butterfly and the 50m backstroke.
She was one of the star performers at this year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April where she featured in three individual finals and finished sixth in the 100m freestyle breaking the South African and continental record in the process.
Ayrton Sweeney will be among South Africa’s top male swimmers and will be looking to defend his 200m breaststroke title from the 2016 competition.
Two years ago Sweeney and Alaric Basson raced to a 1-2 sweep in the men’s 200m breaststroke with the duo set to achieve the feat again in Algeria, while Basson also took the gold in the 100m breaststroke.
Swimming SA’s CEO, Shaun Adriaanse said the team were primed to defend its continental title and continue the country’s dominance in the pool.
“We have selected an exciting young team that we believe will continue to make a strong impact at the biennial showpiece,” Adriaanse said.
“South Africa has a strong tradition of performing at the highest level at the CANA championships and it is should not be any different this time around."
The heats start at 9h30 while the finals will begin at 17h00 daily.
The South African team to the CANA Swimming and Open Water Championships:
Men:
Alard Basson (50m, 100m, 200m butterfly)
Alaric Basson (50m, 100m, 200m breaststroke, 50m freestyle)
Matthew Bowers (50m, 100m freestyle)
Ruan Breytenbach (400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly, 400m Individual Medley)
Ma’az Khota (200m freestyle, 200m Individual Medley)
Righardt Muller (400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle)
Kobe Ndebele (50m, 100m backstroke, 50m, 100m butterfly)
Ayrton Sweeney (200m freestyle, 200m, 400m Individual Medley, 200m breaststroke)
Jacques van Wyk (50m, 100m, 200m backstroke, 100m freestyle)
Reece Whitaker (50m, 100m breaststroke)
Open Water:
Darren Minnies (5km)
Aiden Petersen (5km)
Abdul-Malik Railoun (5km)
Hein van Tonder (5km)
Women:
Lesley Albertyn (50m, 100m freestyle)
Janie Coetzer (200m, 800m, 1500m freestyle)
Khwezi Duma (50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly)
Erin Gallagher (50m, 100m freestyle, 50m, 100m butterfly, 50m backstroke)
Hannah Kiely (50m, 100m, 200m backstroke)
Tori Oliver (400m, 800m freestyle, 200m butterfly)
Samantha Randle (200m, 400m Individual Medley, 200m backstroke, 1500m freestyle)
Jade Simons (50m, 100m, 200m breaststroke)
Lara van Niekerk (50m, 100m, 200m breaststroke)
Jessica Whelan (200m, 400m Individual Medley, 200m, 400m freestyle)
Open Water:
Kaitlyn Albertyn (5km)
Amica de Jager (5km)
Tasneem Ebrahim (5km)
Sasha-Lee Nordengen-Corris (5km)
Samantha Randle (5km)
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.