Category Archives: Swimming

Girl Power: Kristen Straszacker

April 9, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Today meet fresh and hungry Kristen Straszacker, a champion girl where you can really see girl power at its best, especially with her recent brilliant achievements at Level 3 and the African Junior champs 2015. She is a deeply grateful and passionate little leader and victor. Kristen is appreciative of all the help and assistance that she is getting in her life on her journey up, speaking with love and appreciation of her God, parents and family and wonderful coach – Csanad Feldhausz. This gratitude and humility in an athlete is a sign of a great future ahead.

She says “I am a bit of a perfectionist but I use it to my advantage because I never give up before something is done properly. I am a hard-worker, confident and value my morals. I love to strive for bigger things than just reality and I always take full responsibility for my actions towards any aspiration in life, once I start something it is hard to settle for just OKAY”. She is currently in Durban for Olympic Trials / Senior Nationals – all the best Kristen!

*Athlete: Bio / Stats*
Name & Surname	Kristen Carolyn Straszacker
Nick Name	Kris
Date of birth	27 February 2000
Place of birth	Cape Town
Current City	Cape Town
Height	1.66m
Weight	59kg
Shoe Size	6
Club	Aquasharks Swimming Academy
Coach’s Name	Csanad Feldhausz
Out of Country events/ meets	Stuttgart Annual Club Gala, Germany 2010 – Tour to Pescara, Italy 2014 – 11^th African Junior Championships, Egypt 2015
Secondary Sport/ sports	Unfortunately with my swimming program I do not have time for any other sports
Favorite City	Rome, Italy
Favorite Song/ type of music	Energy – Drake although I listen to practically all genres of music
Favorite Movie	Zootropilis
School & Grade	Stellenberg High School, Grade 11
Sponsors	Arena
Instagram Facebook	Instagram – @krist3nstraszacker Facebook – Kristen Carolyn Straszacker
Parents Names, siblings	Mandy (Mom), Karl (Dad), Kirsten (Twin Sister)

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are passionate and doing so well in your swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in swimming and your journey in the swimming arena up to now?

My swimming journey began when I was 8 years old when I started swimming with Heinz Dittrich. I swam with him for 5 years before I started feeling it was time for some change. I then moved clubs to Aquasharks Academy where I am coached by Csanad Feldhausz. Since the beginning Csanad and I have had a very good connection where we work through long and hard hours in the pool with my end goal in mind. My training partners motivate me through these long hours and we all love accomplishing goals during training. We train 10 times a week and I would say for the past year my hard work has definitely shown in my results.

Q: You did so brilliantly and proudly represented Team SA last year at the African Junior Swimming Championships in Cairo, Egypt. You broke the meet record for 400 IM, and medaled for other events too – Congrats! How did you experience that?

I loved the experience. One of the main things I learnt is that independence is a big factor in life.

Things are very different when you don’t have parents and your usual swim squad with you, from that I learnt that good communication between teammates and new coaches is very important.

It was also an eye opener showing me that swimming is a big sport around the world and I’m very grateful that we have some of the best coaches in the world coming straight from home.

Q: You also did brilliant at the recent level 3 in PE. What do you ascribe your recent successes / winning streak to 🙂?

First of all my parents that drive me to training and back, wake me up at 4:00 in the morning and take me to training – willingly.

My coach, all his hard work and most of all his effort and attitude towards my swimming .

All my family and friends that always support me even when they know that I am tired from a hard week in the pool, they never seem to struggle to put a smile on my face.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of Education in a young person’s life?

Education has always been a critical thing in my life and my parents always motivate me to do better at school and to maintain a good aggregate. Education is important all over the world so no person should ever underestimate their capabilities in education. School and learning is also all about your mind, a good attitude = good results.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey?

Growing up, my family never went to church a lot so choosing to be a Christian was ultimately my decision.

When I have time I love to go to youth and spend some time with God. Thanking Him for all that he has given me and thanking Him for all that he is still going to give me.

Q: What do you do to relax?

I love to sleep; I am very good at that, no one has to ask me that twice. I also love to just watch TV and listen to music.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

Work in silence and let success be your noise.

Q: What is your favourite Bible quote?

John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to those who believed in him, ‘if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

My biggest challenge is never losing hope, I want to inspire people to achieve what they believe and I want to prove to myself that I have what it takes to accomplish many great things. I always remind myself that I do what I do by asking myself “WHY?” and in that way I always make sure that I’m doing what I love.

Q: In your opinion, how do you define success in life?

Success comes in many different forms and sizes. Success can be making your own bed in the morning or it can be achieving a world record for 100m butterfly. A successful person is someone who has worked hard for what they have achieved and is still never satisfied.

Q: What’s your WHY?

Swimming is my passion and I feel like I have found something that no one can take away from me. I would love to inspire our nation to see that every human being is capable of great things, for people to see that it doesn’t matter where you come from its where you are going that’s important.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African and African youth and our nation?

Never let any person set you off your path, stand strong in your values and know where you are going one day, always refer back to your goal when times are tough and always ask yourself “WHY?”

Q: What are you most grateful for in your life at the moment?

My family, my coach, my friends and that I have had the opportunities that I have to help me to become the person I am today. I am grateful for my bed that I get to sleep in every night and that my parents are always willing to do anything for me that will help me in the future.

Most recent champs – SA Nationals 2016

“All in all a wonderful opportunity to participate at this level and to swim with these amazing swimmers. For Kristen her personal goals were to achieve Top 10 for her 5 events and this she achieved this in 50, 100 and 200 Back. After having a fantastic Level 3 it was difficult to yet again swim PB times.” – Mandy – Mom

100 Fly 18^th – 1:05:23

100 Back 6^{th –}1:05:91

200 Back 9^th – 2:21:47

50 Back 4^th – 30:76 – PB

50 Fly 11^th – 29:58

Womens 4 x 100 Medley Relay – Bronze Medal

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

NB – All images were supplied by the athlete to Heslop Sports. If there are any images that are not credited correctly, please email info@heslopsports.co.za with the details and we will gladly do so immediately.

Olympics 2016 Rio Swimming

Olympic Trials: A dream, A vision, A chance

April 8, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

In less than a day the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and dedication will come a step closer to fruition at the SA Swimming Olympic trails to be held at our beautiful Kings Park Swimming Pool 10 – 15 April 2016.

And so the journey pinnacles, the hard hours, the sacrifices, the pain, the blood, the sweat, the many tears of joy and pain, the panic, the rejection and the doubts. But here you are and here you have gathered our darling Olympians, ready and expectant to make your mark in history!

Make it count. This is your moment. Now you stand in front of this beautiful rainbow Nation, and be assured that the nation supports you no matter what! You might be the unexpected one, the rejected one, the one who as ridiculed and laughed at on your stormy journey to this point – but always remember this – Fortes Fortuna Luvat – Fortune favors the brave! To stand here at Olympic trials this weekend, you might not have been the fastest, most celebrated, or decorated one in your early days, but you have been brave to make it through it all to this point, therefore I salute you and wish you all the very best BON COURAGE.

Now, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Cor 16:13.

You are chosen and elect and destined to go forth and proudly fly the SA flag high at the world’s largest sporting arena at the Rio Olympics 2016. So this is my message to you as you enter these trials: YOU ARE WORTHY.

You are worthy because you to have come to this age and this stage for a purpose and a reason. You are one of a kind, you have outlasted, persevered and have not fallen by the wayside. In you youth you might have not been able to imagine that you would outlast any of your “fiercest” competitors, but here YOU are, all the way at the top, now stand.

Achmat Hasseim, a Paralympian from South African arrives at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport in London.

Celebrate your journey past, you have stood the test of time and trials so lift your heads up high and go for it with all that is within you. Dig deep, set aside voices of doubt and fear, and thoughts of defeat and focus on the prize. You are already respected and revered by your opponents because you have made it thus far, where many have fallen on the wayside. You have already succeeded to be this close to the prize and the honour of being a 2016 Olympian.

For our young athletes attending this special event, be attentive, be strong, learn, and especially dream of the day that YOU will be standing in this very place. Remember that dedication, consistency, hard work, the love of the ‘game’ and clean sport is the only way to the top. Understand that swimming is about the journey and not about instant gratification. Also remember that swimming is what you do, and not who you are. So, grow up to be a balanced person of integrity who is worthy of respect and honour always. There are NO shortcuts to success in life. Most of all, love what you do and enjoy the journey with all your heart.

Home Sports Swimming

Meet the Young Athletes: Luan Grobbelaar

April 2, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Today meet one of SA’s top youth champions Luan Grobbelaar. It is good to see our youth not only excelling in sport but also conveying hope and encouragement, and trying to be change makers in our nation.

Congratulations to Luan on his consistent good perfermances. SA National Age Group Level 3 Champs (18-22 March 2016) in PE: Gold in 400m freestyle, Gold 400m IM, Gold 200m IM, Gold 200m backstroke, Gold 100m backstroke, Gold 200m breaststroke, Silver 100m breaststroke, Silver 50m breaststroke, 3rd 200m freestyle and 3rd 50m backstroke. He has had a few appearances as part of Team SA recently, a biggie being at Gold Coast 2018. Well done Luan!

He says “I’m a happy, friendly person, that wants to make the best of what life has to offer”.

*Athlete: Bio / Stats*
Name & Surname	Luan Evert Grobbelaar
Nick Name	Lulu
Date of birth	16 March 2002
Place of birth	CAPE TOWN
Current City	Palmerston North , New Zealand
Height	1.77m
Weight	68kg
Shoe Size	11/12
Club	Kiwi West Aquatics
Coach’s Name	Andrew Nicholls
Out of Country events/ meets	I competed in Germany in 2012, Zambia in 2013 (Representing RSA), Britain in 2014, Egypt and Angola in 2015 (Representing RSA) and Dubai in 2016 And 2017 , Second Cana Zone In Egypt ,Commonwealth Youth Games And Junior World Championship In 2017 ,Senior Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast.
Secondary Sport/ sports	None, I just swim.
Favorite City	DUBAI or Doha
Favorite Song/ type of music	Current Favorite Song Is Cola By CamelPhat & Elderbrook , But Mostly Pop And Deephouse
Favorite Movie	The Gambler
School & Grade	Home Schooling – Grade 11
Sponsors	Mertopolitian – MMI Group
Twitter and Instagram, Facebook	Luan Grobbelaar

INTERVIEW:

Q: Who are you?

I Am Luan Evert Grobbelaar ,Birthday Is On The 16^th of March.

Q: At what age did you start swimming and why?

I Started At The Age Of Six ,Through Incident… Me And My Best Friend Was Riding Bikes Around The Swimming Pool ,I Was Speeding ,Lost Control Of The Bike And The Bike And I Fell Into The Pool… My Parents Just Thought It Would Be A Good Idea To BE Water Safe From That Day.

Q: Would you like to share some highlights about your own sports events so far?

There are a few:

There are a few:
- Winning 14 gold medals in 14 events at level 3 In 2015 (as 12 year old). The 400 IM was especially satisfying as it was a 12 – 14 years event.
- Competing at the British Age group Championships in August 2014, where I won 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. I also won the Victor Ludorum for the 12 year age group.
- Winning 2 silver medals in the 400 IM, both in new RSA records for the 13 years age group, at the resent Swim SA Grand Prix Series in Nelspruit and Stellenbosch.
- Representing South Affrica at the commonwealth games at the Gold Coast in 2018.

Q: You competed at an International event – Junior Africa Swimming Champs – Egypt, proudly part of Team SA – Congrats! How did you experience that?

I was very proud to represent my country again. Cairo is a fascinating place and we were very well received by the host country. The people there are very friendly. I loved the historical sites that we were privileged to go and see – the pyramids, the sphinx, the Cairo museum.

The swimming facilities in Cairo were very good and the Championships were very well organized. Egypt is investing a lot of money into swimming as a sport.

I learn a lot about myself each time I race and how to adapt to different conditions in other countries.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your home and school life?

I Currently Stay in Palmerston North With My Family And My Two Dogs – Lilly And Sadie. I Started Home Schooling Because I It Easier For Me To Manage Myself When I Go Away For Swimming Or Anything And Don’t Have To Worry About Catching Up Work.

Q: Why is it also important to try and excel at academics at school?

You need to look at your future as well. I would want to go to University, and the better your mark in school, the wider choice you have as to what and where you would like to study.

Q: What is your favorite food? And who must cook it J?

My Mom’s Delicious Mac ‘n Cheese.

Q: Who is your sports hero in the sports that you are involved in?

Michael Phelps ,He Is A Wonderful Example Of What Can BE Achieve If You Put Your Mind To Something. He Is Just Amazing With Everything HE Achieved And He Is such An Inspirations To Me.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

Find The Courage To Be Yourself.

Q: What is your favourite Bible Verse?

Psalm 23: DIE HERE IS MY HERDER.

Q: At this point and time – what are you most grateful for in your life?

For the opportunities that I have to live my dream and to use my talents as the Lord intended me to.

Q: For now and for the future, how do you think that you can be a change-maker in our country through what you do in sports and the way you live your life?

I just think that you must always set a good example in whatever you do. And then to always do the right thing in any circumstances.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African youth and the nation?

Do What You Love. There Is No Point Of Doing Something If you Don’t Love It, And You Must Always Have A Dream To Work Towards.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your sports and academic journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

Home Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Fresh & Hungry: Kaylene Corbett

March 28, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Kaylene Corbett is a fierce champion girl in and out of SA, as she has proudly represented our nation last year in her green and gold in Samoa at the Commomwealth Youth Games. Congratulations to Kaylene on her recent victories at the SA National Age Group Level 3 Champs (18-22 March 2016) in PE: Gold in 50m breaststroke, Gold in 100m breaststroke, Gold 200m breaststroke, 3rd for 200m IM and 3rd for 4x100m Medley Relay.

It looks to me like we have the next Penny Heyns in the making, this is absolutely marvellous. Kaylene not only excels in swimming but also in her faith in God and is a firm advocate of a well educated youth. She says: “I am very dedicated and motivated to the things that I love, when I put my mind to something I would do anything in my power to achieve it”.

*Athlete: Bio / Stats*
Name & Surname	*Kaylene Corbett*
Nick Name	Corbett
Date of birth	15 June 1999
Place of birth	Bloemfontein
Current City	Port Elizabeth
Height	1.73m
Shoe Size	5
Club	Port Elizabeth Amateur Swimming (PEA)
Coach’s Name	Mark Edge
Out of Country events	Commonwealth Youth Games, Fina World Cup (Doha and Dubai legs)
Favorite Song/ type of music	I enjoy lots of different types of music. It can vary from drum and bass to pop. My favorite artist is definitely Justin Bieber.
Favorite Movie	Tangled
School & Grade	Pearson High School, Gr11
Sponsors	NurtiTech, TYR and The Eastern Cape Academy of Sport (ECAS)
Twitter Instagram Facebook	Twitter- @kaylenecorbett Instagram- @kaylenecorbett Facebook – Kaylene Corbett
Parents Names, Siblings	Mom- Marly Corbett Dad- Jacques Corbett Sister – Micolé Corbett (3) Brother- Jadon Corbett (14)

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are passionate and doing so well in your Swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in Swimming and your journey in the Swimming arena up to now?

My brother is to thank for the start of my swimming career in Hartswater. He was absolutely terrified of water when we were younger. I in the other hand was in love with water from the beginning, my mom use to call me her water baby. So my parents took my brother and I to a lady called Linda Mullin when I was about 6/7 to get us water safe. I quickly took to the sport and started competing in galas at the age of 8. I definitely struggled at the beginning of my swimming but from the beginning Aunty Linda use to say she knows I’m going to be a breaststroker. In 2010 we moved from Hartswater to Port Elizabeth and one of the reasons for our move was for my swimming career. In PE my love for the sport and my dedication grew and now I’m still going strong after 8 years.

Q: You did brilliant by medaling and proudly represented our beautiful nation as part of Team SA at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games, Apia, Samoa (5-12 September 2015). Wow – Well done! How did you experience that?

Thank you so much!!! The week of the Youth Commonwealth Games was definitely a once in a life time experience and I will never forget that week. It was my first time to leave South Africa and it was also my first time to represent my country and it was everything I thought it would be. It was such a great experience as we got to see a part of the world that not a lot of people would ever see. The racing was done in a breathtaking pool the Samoan people are so friendly and happy all the time. At every gala you learn something new about yourself and about other people at this particular gala I learnt that you can never give up and you should always strive to be even better and to never settle with what you’ve achieved always aim higher. It also learned to dream even bigger.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of Education in a young person’s life?

Education is number one priority. You can be incredible in sport but if you don’t have something to fall back on when sport fails you have nothing. You should also try balance the two if sport is important to you and if you want to make a career out of it or become a professional sportsman/woman you should maybe look at homeschooling so you have more time to focus on your sport. It is very important that we become educated youth so we can grow the country because after all we are the leaders of tomorrow. I’m very fortunate to have a school that cares, Pearson High School, that helps me cope with everything when I am out of school weeks on end and the teachers strive to help me understand and get through all the work so I can be ready for exams/tests.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey and how it has affected your life / sports?

God is a big part of my life and he has given me everything I have today. I grew up with my mom reading Bible stories to me and so God has always been part of my daily basis. I owe everything to Him. When the going got tough God was always there.

Q: What do you do to relax?

Spending time with family and friends is something I love doing and it always have me in a good mood, I also enjoy reading and watching tv.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

In order to succeed you must first believe that you can.

Q: What is your favourite Bible Scripture?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” – Phil 4:13

Q: In your opinion, how do you define success in life?

A successful person in my eyes is someone who tried everything in order to succeed. Someone who is happy with what they have attained and what they worked for.

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

My biggest challenge is to wake up in the morning for morning training. I am not a morning person so unfortunately I hate waking up at 4:30am to go to swimming. To manage this I try to go to bed as early as possible and when I wake up try and think about my goals I want to achieve.

Q: What’s your WHY ? Why do you do what you do?

My “why” is because I absolutely love the sport. It’s something I enjoy doing, It’s something I want to do for a very long time.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African and African youth and our nation?

Never ever give up.

Q: What are you most grateful for in your life at the moment?

First of all God cause He gave me the talent and love for the sport. He also helps me through all the tough times when I don’t want to do anything. Second of all my mom and dad they do everything for me and when I mean everything, I mean they drive me around everywhere. When I need something they got it covered. They support me with everything and love me even when I fail.

Q: What are your upcoming events where your fans can follow and support you?

SA age group Level 3 (17-21 March)

SA nationals and Olympic trials (10-16 April)

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

I would just like to personally thank my parents, for everything they do for me daily; I love them with all my heart, and my sponsors for everything.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

Home Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Level 3 Swimming 2016: Memoirs of a Mom

March 24, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

In the compelling report below Rene shares her journey as a parent of a young athlete. Early mornings, late nights, tired bodies and all the challenges that are strewed along the journey to success. Success is never given on a platter it is always earned by blood, sweat and tears. There are NO shortcuts to success: you cannot cheat the grind! Always a lesson, never a failure. What strikes me about her account is the gratefulness to God, the humility and the joy of being blessed. This gives hope for many parents and young athletes on this same journey. Thank you and congratulations Riekert Family!

Written by Rene Riekert: mom of brilliant youth Swimmer Ethan Riekert

“Terug by die huis met 10 medaljes: 1ste 50 back; 1ste 50 free; 1ste 100 free; 1ste 100 back; 3de 200 back; 2 x 1ste vir relay; 1x 2de vir relay en 2 x 3de vir relay Maar wat beteken dit? Waar begin dit?

Het dit begin by daardie swemskool gala met daardie eerste plastiek medalje, of was dit ‘n juffrou wat gese het daar is talent, of was dit soos Ryk Neethling se daardie eerste nederlaag wat jou net wil laat terug veg? Want verloor was nog nooit lekker nie. Doelwitte moet bereik word. Harde werk is nie vir niks nie.

Dit begin maar eers by ‘n rustige 2 keer per week. Dan so stadig aan meer en meer dan na ‘n rukkie kan niemand meer onthou hoe dit skielik so gereeld is nie! Vriende en familie is al gewoond as ons se ”jammer maar Ethan moet swem”. Nou is dit al 8-10 keer ‘n week. 3 keer ‘n week 4 uur opstaan. Laat gaan slaap.

Hy val darem nog nie vir die snaakse dieeet nie, so daar is ek nog veilig (vir nou J) behalwe die hoeveelheid eet, want swemmers raak mos honger. En dan is dit die nat handoeke die huis vol is; sake pak; geldjies uit haal vir nuwe racing costumes wat so dun is soos ‘n sykouse maar so duur is soos ‘n aandrok . Naweek vir naweek sit by age groups.

En dan om te kwalifiseer vir level 3, enige kind se droom en ‘n ouer se nag merrie amper want ons weet wat wag. Hierdie foto van die swembad spreek soveel meer as woorde, hier is baie emosies opgevang. Trane van vreugde, trane van blydskap, elke kind het ‘n verwagting wat ‘n jaar lank voor geoefen word: 15 ure per week, elke dag van die jaar wat in bv 30 sekondes ‘n uitkoms gee. En ‘n 13 jarige moet dit net daar kan hanteer: uitklim en aangaan. Omdraai weer swem of niks nou gebeur het nie. So asof ‘n droom nou glad nie in skerwe gespat het nie. En ma moet weer die stukke optel.

Om ‘n voorbeeld te gee met die 50 free was daar 48x 13 jariges wat deel geneem het met tye wat splitsekondes verskil. Almal werk min of meer ewe hard glo ek want jy moet as jy level 3 is. Wie is die een wat wen? Die een wat die beste coach het? Meeste getaper het? Luck? Talent? Mental fitness? Beste touch? Vinnigste draai? Genade?

Maar sien verloor is nie verloor nie, nie by levels nie. Eintlik wen almal . Daar is so baie om te leer. Dit is Hoe jy jou race geswem het! Hoe het jy uitgeklim? Dankbaar of negatief!? Jy was deel van die bestes in die land. En nie net jy in die water maar jou ondersteuners in die stand.

Kon jul leer of is dit nou weer iets of iemand se skuld? Om te PB (personal best) of te kwalifiseer is relatief teenoor ons houding en dankbaarheid. Die ure se oefening gaan nooit ophou nie; die wen en verloor ook nie.

En die dankbaarheid en nederigheid in sy oe wat ek daar beleef het teenoor sy Vader, coach,medeswemmers en ouers sal ek nooit vergeet nie. Hierop is ek die trotste!

Ek wil bevoeg: voor Levels het die Here my ‘n belofte gegee dat dit sal goed gaan en Hy het Ethan uit sy sokkies geseen. “Omdat Ek jou Genadig is en omdat jy gevra het en Ek belowe het om te antwoord sou jy vra”. Ek het tot voor die tyd vir sy coach gese ons is rustig. Hoe awesome is dit.

Dankie aan ons Here wat ons gedra het hierdie jaar en week. Want glo my dit was en is tuff. Baie dankie vir elkeen wat ons op hierdie paadjie ondersteun want ek het al menigmaal gewonder is dit die moeite werd; is hy nie te jonk nie? Maar die passie wat hom dryf is onomkeerbaar”.

Home Olympics 2016 Rio Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Fresh & Hungry: Jamie Reynolds

March 17, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Jamie Hannah Reynolds, one of SA’s top girl athletes and brilliant swimmer shares her journey. When I connected with Jamie she immediately responded with vigour and passion. I love that ‘lets do this thing’ attitude in a young person! Jamie is proudly a freshman at the University of Nevada, Reno, getting some brilliant coaching, academics and support in her quest for swimming excellence.

I have said this before and connecting with Jamie I say it again: I stand in awe, moved and inspired each and every time I connect with our young athletes. How blessed are we to see in our youth such a generation of World Changers and History makers rising up. This is why their stories MUST be told and their legacy in the making must be celebrated!

Jamie says this is HER WHY: “I do what I do, because I can’t imagine doing anything else. Swimming has been a part of my lifestyle throughout my life. I have made sacrifices in order to achieve my goals. I don’t strive to be any ordinary swimmer, but I strive to be the best, and I will keep working at it. I want to be able to prove to people, that when you put your mind to something and stay committed, anything is possible”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname	Jamie Hannah Reynolds
Nick Name	Jummie
Date of birth	02 January 1998
Place of birth	Pietermaritzburg, KZN
Current City	Reno
Height	177cm
Weight	75KG
Shoe Size	8
Club	Seals
Coach’s Name	Wayne Ridden
Out of Country events/ meets	Youth Commonwealth Games 2015, Samoa All African U21 games, Zimbabwe World cup swim series, Hong Kong
Favorite City	Barcelona
Favorite Song/ type of music	Milky Chance –Flashed junk mind
Favorite Movie	Inside out
Tertiary Inst Name/ Year	University of Nevada, Reno / Freshman
Tertiary degree/ diploma	Business administration
Twitter and Instagram names, facebook name	Instagram: jamiehannah08 Facebook: Jamie Reynolds
Parents Names, siblings	Parents: Bryan and Helen Reynolds Siblings: Merryn and Abby

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are currently studying and training out of country at the University of Nevada in the US this year. Do you want to share a little about this?

I have always wanted to study and forgo my swimming career in the U.S.A. Fortunately I was contacted by Coach Neil Harper, head coach of the University of Nevada’s swimming team, offering me a spot on their team. I started here in their spring and have currently spent just over 2 months on the team. I am absolutely loving being apart of such a successful and supportive team. The atmosphere, facilities and new experiences I have had, have been remarkable and I couldn’t have made a better decision.

Q: You are passionate and doing so well in your swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in swimming and your journey in the swimming arena up to now?

I started swimming at around the age of 8. From then onwards I started to go to private swim lessons and swim mini galas. As soon as I started to become more and more competitive in the sport, that’s when I decided that this was what I wanted to do. I was fortunate enough to train with a great bunch of swimmers at the Seals Swimming Club, during my school career. I was also fortunate enough to have been coached under Wayne Ridden, who always supported me in and out of the pool. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to have achieved what I have today without the support of my fellow teammates, coach and especially my family.

Q: Who are you?

I am a very relaxed person. I am always happy when I am around my family and friends and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything else. I don’t get worked up over small things. I believe that my time should be spent doing other things, rather than holding grudges.

Q: What is the highest accolade that you have achieved in swimming and what is your greatest personal accomplishment?

My highest achievement for my swimming career so far would be being one of the four girls in the country selected, to represent South Africa in the Youth Commonwealth games in 2015.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of Education in a young person’s life?

Education is vital to one. It helps your mind grow and opens up a whole new world for you. Many athletes rely on the sport they do to get them places in life, but the truth is, you can’t rely on your sporting talent forever. You always need a back up plan and the one thing someone can never take away from you; is the knowledge you have learned.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey and how it has affected your life / sports?

I went through a stage in my swimming career where things weren’t going too great and my times weren’t improving. These are the hardest days any athlete can go through, as you train so hard, but are rewarded by nothing. My dad kept me motivated throughout this and told me to keep at it, keep believing and have faith. This taught me one of my major lessons in life. God always has a plan for you, you just have to be patient, keep at it and sooner or later it will come. It may not come when you would like it to come, but it will come when God knows is the right time.

Q: What do you do to relax?

I listen to music, hangout with my family or chill outdoors around the pool.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

“It never gets easier; you just get stronger.”

Q: What is your favourite Bible quote?

For with God nothing shall be impossible – Luke 1:37

Q: You were / are part of a small group of girls who was identified to go to Rio Olympics a while back in 2013, “Get the girls to Gold”, is this “program” still on track, and how is it working for you?

Unfortunately, this program is not still on track. It started off great, but slowly interest was lost, and the whole program fell apart.

Q: In your opinion, how do you define success in life?

Success is being able to get up at 4:30 in the morning, put in the hard hours of blood sweat and tears, and know its all going to be worth it in the end. As when you win that race, nothing can beat that feeling.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to our youth in SA and globally?

Once you find your passion, never give it up because its hard or because you may not be the best at it. Follow through with it, work hard at it and most importantly, don’t give it up, as if you try something, you risk failure, BUT if you don’t try, you risk nothing at all.

Q: How are you feeling about coming back home to SA next month and the Olympic trials at our beloved Kings Park?

I am feeling extremely excited to come back home and race in the Olympic Trials. I have been under a great new program here at Nevada. I have been putting in the hard work, working on my techniques and have had the greatest support from the team and the coaches. I look forward to see my improvement and what great things I can do in the pool.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

Some of the photos above: Credits to Lisa Gallager.

Home Interviews Olympics 2016 Rio Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Fresh & Hungry: Marne Erasmus

March 12, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Today we connect over the far waters with East London born Marne Erasmus. A very fine Proudly South African “Export” who is currently studying in the US at the Southern Methodist University. Marne is doing brilliant there, she is dedicated, hard working and we look much forward to seeing her next month in fine form and top gear as she steps back onto African soil to come and compete at Olympic trials in Durban starting 10 April.

She says “I am humble and caring but also strong and independent”. “I don’t see my life decisions as sacrifices. I see them as opportunities. I have been very fortunate to have had the experiences that I have in life. To me it is most important to remain humble and not lose who I am along the way. It is easy to get swept up in prestige but I do not want that for myself”.

*Athlete: Bio / Stats*
Name & Surname	Marne Erasmus
Date of birth	May 23^rd 1995
Place of birth	East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Current City	Dallas, Texas, USA
Club	SMU Mustangs
Coach’s Name	Steve Collins
Out of Country events/ meets	World championships (long course and short course), commonwealth games (youth and senior), NCAA (American college national championship), Zone six African games
Secondary Sport/ sports	Netball, tennis, yoga
Favorite City	Cape Town
Favorite Song/ type of music	Indie/alternative
Favorite Movie	The Brother’s Bloom
School & Grade	Junior (3^rd year)
Tertiary Inst Name/ Year	Southern Methodist University
Tertiary degree/ diploma	Major in political science and history, minor in religious studies and English
Parents Names, siblings	Marco, Sarisa & Anri, Greyling

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are currently studying and swimming at Southern Methodist University Dallas, passionate and doing so well in your swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in swimming and your journey in the swimming arena up to now?

I started swimming when I was two years old as my mother wanted my sister and me to be water safe. Many babies drowned in our city around the time that I was born, so my mother wanted to do everything that she could to keep myself and my sister from coming to any harm. So I started at age two and am still going at age 20.

Q: What is the highest accolade that you have achieved in swimming and what is your greatest personal accomplishment?

I won a gold medal at the youth commonwealth games in 2010 but I think my proudest moment was when I won a bronze medal at the NCAA in my freshman year.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of Education in a young person’s life?

Education is one of the most important things in any one person’s life. It is so important that the younger generations be well educated so that they may grow up to be generous and well informed leaders.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey and how it has affected your life / sports?

I have had a very interesting journey with faith, one that I am still trying to figure out. I do not believe that people should be restricted to any one faith and that many people find spiritual fulfilment in a number of different religious and spiritual practices. Our social settings and cultural surroundings often nudge us into one direction, but it is important to identify what makes you happy and whole. Personally, I have changed a lot since I left home and I do believe that I became a happier and more fulfilled person due to the realization that my faith is something that I need to truly believe in for it to be my faith. At the moment, I’m not quite sure what that is.

Q: You are living overseas at the moment, what does it feel like?

I love living in Dallas. I think it I an amazing place to study and be a young person and I have definitely learned a lot and matured during my stay here. Dallas will always hold a very special place in my heart as it is where some of my fondest memories as a young adult have been fostered.

Q: What do you do to relax?

Go out with friends or sleep! Mostly we’re so tired that we just try and relax.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. – Chinese Proverb

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

Staying calm in time when my schedule is overwhelming and I feel like I’ve committed to more than I can handle. When I get to this point in the semester I try to stay organized and get to the most important things first. I’d rather do a few things to the best of my ability than do everything half-heartedly.

Q: In your opinion, how do you define success in life?

If you are content within yourself and your own personal achievements; you are successful!

Q: What’s your WHY?

I do what I do because I’ve been blessed with a talent that I cannot neglect. I’m very interested in the relationship between politics and religion in war torn areas such as the Middle East and North Africa, so ideally I would like to work for an NGO or an IGO in matters concerning women and children’s rights. I’m not sure if I’ll head home anytime soon… I want to travel and work in different places first, but who knows what the future holds?

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African and youth of the world?

Never let your circumstances define you. You are capable of more than you think! Always do what makes you happy, regardless of popular opinion or external pressures.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

NB – All images were supplied by the athlete to Heslop Sports. If there are any images that are not credited correctly, please email info@heslopsports.co.za with the details and we will gladly do so immediately.

Home Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Fresh & Hungry: Martin Christian Johann Binedell

March 2, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Martin Binedell is really a young swimming star to watch out for. Stable, dedicated, and wise, and on top of being a multiple gold medallist he is a great academic too, having passed matric with 6 distinctions! He has this to say “I love swimming, I love being in the water, I love pushing my body to its breaking point and the feeling you get after doing so. I’d like to give back to a sport that has already giving me so much, to inspire the next generation of South African swimmers to strive for greatness, both in and out the sports arena”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname	Martin Christian Johann Binedell
Nick Name	Maat1
Date of birth	30 July 1995
Place of birth	Pietermaritzburg, KZN
Current City	Westville, KZN
Height	186cm
Weight	86kg
Shoe Size	11/12
Club	Seagulls Swimming Club
Coach’s Name	Graham Hill
Out of Country events/ meets	World Student Games Gwangju South Korea, All African Games Congo,go,African Games Congo, Korea, World Cup Swim Series Doha and Dubai
Favorite City	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Favorite Song/ type of music	I love all genres and styles of music, if I had to pick one then Deep House
Favorite Movie	Focus, Will Smith
Tertiary Inst Name/ Year	Varsity College
Tertiary degree/ diploma	Bcom Marketing
Sponsors	Speedo, CytoSport
Twitter Instagram Facebook	@martinbinedell martin1binedell Martin Christian Johann Binedell
Parents Names, siblings	Parents: Johan and Marlene Binedell Sister: Larah Binedell

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are one of SA’s top athletes, passionate and doing so well in your Swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in swimming and your journey in the swimming arena up to now?

I started swimming when I was 11 for the simple reason of losing weight. I only started performing in high school and when I was 16, broke the SA age group record for 200 backstroke. Although my swimming took a dip in matric, I’ve found my rhythm and stroke again.

Q: Who are you?

I see myself as a very laid back kind of guy, I’m at my happiest when I’m surrounded by friends and family. I believe you should treat others the way you expect others to treat you.

Q: What is the highest accolade that you have achieved in Swimming and what is your greatest personal accomplishment?

My highest swimming achievements are winning gold at SA Nationals, African Games and SA Short course in 2015. My highest personal achievements are those attained at high school, 1^st team Waterpolo, swimming Capt and getting 6 A’s in Matric.

Q: You competed and did so well at the African Games in Brazzaville last year – Congrats! How did you experience that?

Thank you, African Games, much like my experiences with zone 6 and AUSC games, were a reminder of how far South Africa has come in terms of sporting excellence. When compared to nations like Congo and Zambia you tend to appreciate home, although I must commend Congo on their infrastructure, something about the semi transparent aquatic centre with an open African sun and surroundings made for an awesome atmosphere.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of Education in a young person’s life?

Education is vital, I grew up with the philosophy of a healthy body isn’t complete without a healthy mind. A lot of athletes forget there is a life after sport and the beauty of sport is that it opens doors, weather they lead to a better education or the opportunity of travelling.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey?

I believe everything happens for a reason, when I was young, I almost drowned on a family outing to the dam which forced my parents to take me to swimming lessons, I always found that ironic but throughout my swimming career, all the major turning points were lead by a seemingly negative or (at the time) a setback but that to me just proves that, not only were those setbacks part of Gods plan for me, they were his way of molding me into the person I am today

Q: What do you do to relax?

Music, or a game of Fifa

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve- Napoleon Hill

Q: What is your favourite Bible quote?

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Q: What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge at the moment is recovering from a fractured elbow. All I can do is rest and focus on strengthening both my legs, and my faith.

Q: In your opinion, how do you define success in life / how do you define a successful person?

I define success by happiness, health, good faith and personal satisfaction. A successful person is someone who is confident in his/her abilities and aspirations but focused in attaining them.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African and African youth and our nation?

My message would be, forget about the things in life you can’t control and focus on the thing you can, work hard, be humble and leave the rest to God, because everything happens for a reason

Q: Plans and upcoming major meets before Rio?

For now my main focus recovering and building up momentum before Olympic trials (Nationals) in April, through some more solid training and a decent meet in Stellenbosch

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

Just to say thank you for this opportunity and to also thank everyone that has helped me through this journey thus far, my family and coaches, also my sponsors Speedo SA and Cytosport. Lastly to Varsity College.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

Home Interviews Olympics 2016 Rio Proudly South African Sports Swimming

Up-Close with Lehesta Kemp

February 27, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

Lehesta Kemp, SA Swimming stalwart and true champion opens her heart to us today. Words of wisdom not only for sports but for life she shares. Lehesta clearly shows again that our country’s wealth should indeed not only be solely measured in commodities and economies but also in the commitment of its citizens to help, uplift, encourage and motivate one another to go higher and do better in life. She is determined, focused mentally tough. She is also a great mentor to our youth, and one with a very open heart and hand. We wish this special athlete all the best for her future as she pursues her dreams in and out of the water. All the best on your Road to Rio, she is currently at the Stellenbosch Swimming Grand Prix.

Athlete Stats
Name and surname	Lehesta Kemp
DOB	20 March 1990
POB	Hartswater Northern Cape
Current city	Pretoria Gauteng
Height	1.83m
Weight	64kg
Shoe size	7
Club	Players Swim Club
Coach	Grant Kritzinger
Recent out country events	World Cup Dubai and Doha 2014 World championships Doha 2014 Dutch Short Course Nationals 2015
Favorite city	Venice Italy
Favorite movie	The Lion King
Degree	LLB and currently busy with Bachelor of Accounting Sciences in Financial Accounting
Inst name	Varsity College
Sponsors	Sonkor Manufacturers
Facebook Instagram Twitter	Lehesta Kemp Lehestak @lehestak
Community project	Water safety course for the rangers and residents of Skukuza
Parents and sibling	Gerrie, Estelle and Tiaan Kemp (brother)

Q: You are one of SA’s top female athletes, admired by many, passionate and doing so well in your Swimming tell me a little bit about how you started in swimming and your journey in the swimming arena up to now?

Since I can remember I loved the water from taking chances jumping in the deep end to seeing how long I can hold my breath for it was always a battle to get me out the pool. My parents then thought it might be a good idea to start swimming lessons. I started with, my then coach, Linda Mullin who taught me all the basics. My talents got noticed by Rocco Meiring and they offered me full scholarship at the H.P.C to swim under Sandor Ban. I am currently swimming for Grant Kritzinger who brings out the best of me on a daily basis. My love for the sport grows day by day.

Q: Who are you?

The 3 words that describes me best is probably adventurous, driven and self-confident. I have always been one for excitement, exploring the unknown fascinates me and besides, what better way to make memories. But when it comes down to the grind, whether in sport or work, I put in everything. I turn on my laser like focus and feed the hunger inside. I take charge, because I know one day it will all be worth it. This brings me to the last point, self-confidence, I trust myself. It’s as simple as that. And when you have that unshakeable trust in yourself, you’re already one step closer to success.

Q: What is the highest accolade you have received in swimming and what is your personal greatest accomplishment?

The highest accolade that I have achieved was to represent my country at the World Championships in Turkey and Doha. My greatest personal accomplishment was qualifying for World Championships, the thrill that run down your spine when you see that you have just made it, is indescribable.

Q: Not surprisingly you are also involved in your community, striving towards the upliftment of young female athletes – and mentoring the young Taneal Baptiste. This is wonderful. What would you like to see as the outcome of this journey? / your motto om mentorship?

I have so many great mentors in my life, from my parents to my big brother to amazing friends. They always have a hand reaching out when I have stumbled and fallen, or an ear to listen when I want to blow off steam or even a big fat hug when I need it most. All I ever wanted was to be that person to someone. Help them and lead them when they need it most. Taneal is such an amazing girl with great potential and I’m so happy that I can help her in becoming the best she can be. ~Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction. John C Crosby ~

Q: Explain your career, and how do you balance it with being a professional swimmer?

I study Bachelor of Accounting Sciences in Financial Accounting and also help with the coaching at Players Swim Club. I feel that I need to put back into the sport that I love. Help youngsters find their passion. Between working, studying and training it can become quite challenging, but I find that when you love what you do, you make a plan, because at the end of the day I’m doing it for me.

Q: Would you like to share a little bit more about your faith journey and how it has affected your life / sports?

I am blessed to have been raised in a good Christian home. From a young age my parents taught me how to talk and have a relationship with the Lord. They told me that everything we do in life is in honour of His name. I now walk hand in hand with Him. I pray for guidance every day. I pray for help, and there are times when I’m not happy with the outcome, but at the end of the day I still thank Him, because I might not see it yet, but He’s got bigger plans for me.

Q: What do you do to relax?

I enjoy relaxing and spending time with my friends, or even staying in watching a movie on a cold rainy day, but the best way for me to unwind after a tough week is to go hiking up a mountain with my pooch or getting in a kayak and paddling out. Getting lost in nature and away from the rushed city life. There is nothing quite as peaceful.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

Walk in like Goliath and fight like David!

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

Keeping balance. While we all crave more free time we often get so caught up in our everyday life. Always postponing or even cancelling plans. You lose track of time and before you know it you and your best friend have become strangers or you only see your family once or twice a year. I really try put in the effort to not neglect them. Give them a call once in a while or surprise them with a weekend visit. Family is what keeps you sane. They are the ones who make your journey worthwhile and without them the road can become quite lonely.

Q: When an athlete hits some “hard / difficult patch in their sports career, what goes through your mind at that time? What advice can you give other young athletes in this regard?

When you get hit with a difficult patch it really knocks you down. You lose hope, especially if it’s one knock after the other. Trust me I know. But I have come to realise that it’s all lessons, it’s stepping stones. We need that temporary, but necessary detour, so we can find our strengths. My advice is to never lose hope, get up with your head held high and show them what you’re made of!

Q: How do you define success in life / how do you define a successful person?

Success is peace of mind, in which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

Q: What’s your WHY ?

Passion is what drives me and empowers me to be the best I can be. It makes me wake up excited every morning. I want to encourage the youth and help them find their passion or their “why”. I want to lead by example. I want to inspire them to push themselves to higher levels so that they leave a lasting impact.

Q: What is your message of encouragement to South African and African youth and our nation?

You have to fight some hard battles to earn the best days of your life. So keep your head up and always believe in yourself.

Q: Plans for 2016? and upcoming major meets before Rio?

We going full steam ahead for Rio.

Preparation meets:

Grand prix in Cape Town

Dual meet Johannesburg

SA Trials Durban

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

Home Interviews Olympics 2016 Rio Proudly South African Sports Swimming Tuks Swimming

Olympic Hopes: Hendrik van der Merwe

February 17, 2016 Published by: Cresi Heslop

A man strong on gratefulness is one that has his foundations in life firmly laid for success, and one thing that always comes strongly to the front with Hendrik is his grateful heart. With Rio Paralympic Games now only about 200 days away the excitement builds, not only within the supporters like me :-), but especially with athletes. Today I catch up with Coach Hendrik van der Merwe. A great Olympian, true athlete, and a man who does not shy away from long hours and hard work. One who personally knows the “grind”, with a deep passion and dedication to see his young athletes that he coaches progress to the top. Hendrik – is a true hero to many young swimmers!Hendrik is also proudly brand ambassador for brilliant sports nutrition brand – Whasp Nutrition.

2015 in review?

I have a few highlights from 2015. I think the first would be in April at Senior Nationals in Durban: I got very ill a few weeks before nationals, I was on strong antibiotics came nationals, long story short, I still managed to qualify for IPC world championships held in Scotland and medal in the 50 and 100m breaststroke events as well as breaking an African relay record, with team mates Kevin Paul, Achmat Hassiem, and James Bezuidenhout.

My second highlight would be the year end time period. I got very ill at World Champs in Glasgow. I picked up asthma there and was sick for about 8 weeks. I started racing some age group galas again and then raced NTS and CGA champs. I hit times that I haven’t seen in a while and won the 100m breast at CGA champs.

The third highlight was seeing all my kids hard work pay off at the Mayoral Gala and NTS champs. A lot of blood sweat and tears was put in from the swimmers and coach.

The forth was signing a contract and becoming brand ambassador for Whasp Nutrition.

Life is like an onion: always challenge yourself to peel away the older layers, to find fresher and stronger layers.

Sports plans for 2016?

The plan for this year will be what it will be and always have been: Consistent hard work along with continuous mind shifts; this is the way forward, encountering problems and finding solutions. Levels are coming up for the kids, and Olympic trails are also around the corner in April.

What are you most looking forward to for this year 2016?

I am looking forward to trails at Senior Nationals (I love the atmosphere when it is an Olympic year), and I am also looking forward to the development of my swimmers. Of course there is Rio Paralympics but I will still have to qualify for that.

What is your biggest motivation at the moment?

If you stop to throw rocks at every dog that barks at you, then you will never reach your destination – Winston Churchill. Qualifying for Rio Paralympics is my motivation, and my swimmers performing to the best of their abilities.

What is your biggest challenge at the moment?

Time, I think time is, because I have to balance coaching, full time training and meal prep.

What are your upcoming events where your fans can follow and support you?

Nedbank champs 22 March

Senior nationals (Olympic trails) 11 April Durban

Follow me on instagram: @legs2323, to stay posted as well.

Contact Details Whasp Nutrition

Please follow them on Social Media:

www.whasp.co.za

Facebook Here:

Mobile no: +72 83 334 1935

Email: info@whasp.co.za

Heslop Sports

Category Archives: Swimming

Girl Power: Kristen Straszacker

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Like this:

Olympic Trials: A dream, A vision, A chance

Like this:

Meet the Young Athletes: Luan Grobbelaar

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Like this:

Fresh & Hungry: Kaylene Corbett

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Like this:

Level 3 Swimming 2016: Memoirs of a Mom

Like this:

Fresh & Hungry: Jamie Reynolds

Like this:

Fresh & Hungry: Marne Erasmus

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Like this:

Fresh & Hungry: Martin Christian Johann Binedell

Like this:

Up-Close with Lehesta Kemp

Athlete Stats

Like this:

Olympic Hopes: Hendrik van der Merwe

Like this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Photos

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Share this:

Like this:

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Athlete Stats

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Photos