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Fresh & Hungry: Michael Houlie

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His energy and passion for life and people inevitably rubs off on all who has an encounter with him. He is forever joyful, “proudly” hyperactive, ? but still so deeply grounded and secure in faith and family. He is Michael Houlie, one of SA’s top swimming youths.

To the question “Who are you” he says “I am happy & uncomplicated. I like everyone to be up ….not down. I am always positive (even when things seem bad). The attribute of Encouragement is my natural thing. I believe in people and I love to see others reach their potential. Encouraging others actually gives me a lift as well.”

About his faith he says “I am very fortunate to have a family legacy (Great Grandfather, Grandfather on both sides and my Dad) of Men, who love Jesus and live out their Faith every day”.

His swim journey so far is very inspirational and will be an absolute pleasure to watch for the future.

Athlete: Bio / Stats

Name & Surname           Michael Houlie
Nick Name                         Mike/Mikey/Houlligan
Date of birth                      27/06/2000
Place of birth                    Rondebosch, Cape Town
Current City                      Cape Town
Height                                  1.89m
Weight                                 86kg
Shoe Size                            15
Club                                      AquaSharks Academy
Coach’s Name                  Csanad Feldhausz

Out of Country events/ meets
Egypt (Junior Africa, October 2015)
Italy (Treviso Cup, July 2016)
Angola (u20 Youth Games, December 2016)
Upcoming:
Junior Commonwealth Games – Bahamas (July 2017)
Fina Junior World Champs – USA (August 2017)

Secondary Sports           Soccer, Waterpolo (in my past)
Favorite City                     New York City
Favorite Song                  I don’t have a favourite song, my favorite type of music is Jazz
Favorite Movie                 Chef & The hundred-foot Journey
School & Grade                Bishops Diocesan College, Grade 11
Sponsors
I have no Sponsorship. I really love swimming in Arena Products.

Instagram:          @mikehoulie7
FaceBook:          Michael Houlie
Twitter:                @mikehoulie7

Community / church projects involved in
I attend Jubilee Community Church in Observatory (Cape Town), I go to my youth group occasionally but swimming takes up most of my time.
Parents Names, siblings
My Dad: Sam Houlie
My Mom: Colleen Houlie
My Sister: Amy-Joy Houlie

INTERVIEW:

Q: Firstly – congrats you have just been selected to represent our beautiful nation in the US – FINA Junior World Champs and Commonwealth Champs – wow and well done. What is on your heart and mind right now about these opportunities?

I am really ecstatic and honored to represent my country. Selection is never assured, even if you have swum the qualifying times. This is one of 2 possible Junior events in 2017 that I have been working towards and I am so happy that it is official.

Junior Worlds is a “big deal” – the opportunity to swim against the best in the world is what we train for. I can hardly wait.

The fact that it is in the USA is a bonus. The US is the strongest & deepest swimming nation and competing in their backyard is a dream come true for me.  I have family (cousins) who live in the US and it is really cool, because I have not seen them for a few years and they are finally able to watch me swim in person.

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?

What is not well known, is that I have only been 100% dedicated to Swimming for the last 18 months (since 1 January 2016).  Prior to that, I was juggling swimming with Music studies & other sports, particularly Water Polo.

So I still have loads of room for improvement – I have spent very little time on the technical aspects (starts, turns and under-waters) and I have not even begun to work out with weights or taken my land-based training to a higher level.

In that context, my ascent in junior swimming has been rapid and sudden…..but it has also been fun & interesting (which suits my personality).

So from “nowhere” in 2014, I basically burst onto the National Junior Scene at the 2015 Level 3 Champs in PE (where I broke the then SA Age Group record in the 50m Breast for Boys aged 14, in my very first swim). I also qualified for Senior Nationals with that first swim…..which was very overwhelming at the time. Looking back now…..that swim represented the “breakthrough” and the exact moment when I decided in my heart to give swimming a full go.

[since that first swim in March 2015, I progressed to multiple Golds at the Africa Junior Champion in 2015, WP Champion at Senior Level, SA Nationals finalist, 2 Silver Medals in the Senior Africa Champs in Bloemfontein and 4 Golds at the Africa u20 Youth Games in Angola]

That’s the quick summary …..the full story is longer and a lot more interesting

So here goes …..

My Mum says that I took to water instantly – she took me to “water-safe” sessions before my first birthday (apparently, I just jumped in and could not stop smiling).

By the time I started school, I was very comfortable in the water. Fortunately for me, my Prep school (RBPS) had a very strong swimming team and at age 7, when I started breaking the school and regional Breaststroke records – I had a sense that I could swim fast. This trend continued throughout my prep school years and was the first affirmation of my ability to swim fast breaststroke.

I was a busy kid and around that time (aged 7), my Mum heard that swimming was a good discipline for hyperactive boys – so I joined the Cado squad at the Sports Science in Newlands (with renowned coach, Brian Button). I was not a regular at Cado (at least once a week or twice at most) because of other school sports (rugby, soccer) and my Music commitments (the Violin)

In 2010 (aged 10), Water-Polo entered my life and quickly became my main sport. In a stroke of good fortune, my prep school team was a freakishly talented team of good swimmers that could also play polo really well. For the next 5 years, I basically only trained swimming for Waterpolo, but no more than 2 dedicated sessions a week. I participated in club & league gala’s but I never ever took it seriously.

At 11 years old, a good friend (who was a polo teammate and the best swimmer in our school) joined the Acqua Sharks club in GreenPoint (with my current Coach, Csanad Feldhauz) – at the time 2 of my polo teammates were swimming there and my Dad thought it would be good for me to join a swim group, with my mates.

Even though I was still an infrequent swim trainer – Csanad’s Hungarian training philosophy improved my swimming results almost immediately. It was most apparent in the Medley (up to that point, I was only competitive in Breaststroke …..my other strokes were really weak)

My Water-Polo achievements continued (Western Province Schools A Team) into High School. Surprisingly, my swimming times were good enough to qualify for Level 3, but my parents decided that subjecting me to hectic competition was unwise  – they wanted me to just have fun and to enjoy as many sports as possible. I was completely unaware of this – my parents have since explained it to me and I am thankful that they did it – swimming is my decision and I have always enjoyed it…..I am fresh and still having fun.

In Dec 2014 , I won a gold at WP Champs in the 50m Breaststroke on day 1 (I was more than a year younger than every one and it was the first sign that I was improving rapidly). I only competed on day 1 – I had to rush to a National Water polo tournament straight after that – which really upset my Coach.

At the start of 2015 (my Grade 9 year) – my Coach (Csanad) gave me an ultimatum. He said that if missed Level 3 in 2015, then he would kick me out of squad.

I did not want to be kicked out….so I entered. The Coach was even more upset because 80% of my time was spent in the Waterpolo pool in the first 3 months of 2015. I flew straight from a big polo tournament in Joburg (to PE) and then jumped into the pool the next day for that first swim.

Once I tasted the success of swimming…..I was “hooked”. Winning Golds at the Africa Junior Champs in Cairo (in October 2015) and hearing the National Anthem, while the SA flag was being raised, inspired me…….after that, pushing myself in training was easy. It re-inforced my heart decision to focus on swimming and consequently,  I quit water-polo in December 2015 and I have not looked back since.

 

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

As you progress in swimming, you are always striving for better and higher.

A lot has happened in a short space of time. Making the Senior SA Team for the Africa Champs and getting 2 Silvers in the 50m and 100m Breast, is my best achievement so far (I had just turned 16 at the time and competing at Senior Level while still a Junior and being in the same team as Cameron van der Burgh & Chad Le Clos, was just incredible for me).

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

It starts with my family.

I am very fortunate to have a family legacy (Great Grandfather, Grandfather on both sides and my Dad) of Men, who love Jesus and live out their Faith every day. There is no pretending, there is nothing hidden….they are just normal people loving God and wanting to please him, despite their imperfections.

The Women in the family are similar and have also influenced me – but making my way in the world as a young guy, means I relate to my Dad and the men a bit more.

In terms of my Faith……I don’t over-complicate it. For me, it is all about GRACE and the rescue job Jesus did for me on the cross. So it is not about Performance and it is not about strict rules (Religion).

It helps me in my Swimming – which is 100% the Opposite of God’s Grace. Swimming is all about Performance – if you don’t achieve or win then you are nowhere. Swimming can be a brutal sport sometimes.

Because of Jesus and my understanding of Grace – it takes the pressure off, I am able to give 100% ,I go 100% for the Win, I respect my opponents, I have no fear and failure is never fatal. I learn from bad swims…..but I can move on very quickly.

So I am free and I am always happy – which is the best state of mind for big races. I am super-focused for the race……and super-relaxed before & after.

Q: So, you are a brilliant swimmer and academic – but name 1 thing that you suck at 🙂

I suck at a lot of things. I am really bad at sports like Golf and Cricket (I also don’t have the attention span required to do well at these sports)

I suck at anything that requires me to sit down quietly for more than 20 minutes (I like to be active…..I am a doer….I like action…..I like doing things)

Q: Favourite food and who must cook it  ?

My favourite food is Sushi. For a cooked meal, I will go with anything my Mum cooks…….especially her Crumbed Chicken with home-made Vetkoek

Q: You love your football – lessons from footie that you can apply in swimming ?

Yeah….Football and FIFA (on PlayStation) is amazing.

There is so much that swimmers can learn from Football

  • The top Footballers are super talented but they work very hard. Christiano Ronaldo’s teammates all respect his work ethic. If you don’t do the work….it will show up on the pitch and in the big games

  • they have FUN. You have to love your sport to have fun. I enjoy the celebrations when they score a goal …..they are 100% in the moment ….Antone Griezmann’s signature celebration is my personal favorite

  • the big players arrive in the big games. Performing well or even better in the big games is 100% Mental ….Self-Belief is the differentiating factor

  • a Footballer’s career lasts for only a short while (barring injury) – we are taking 10-12 years max. You have to make the most of your peak years…..

  • Good teams can lose games and have bad games. You can’t change the past ….there is always the next game or the next season. The best teams always move and look forward.

  • Famous Footballers have the ability to impact lives and inspire greatness . Italian Legend Alessandro Del Piero once said: “More players need to stop & take pictures with fans, for you its one second, for them its a lifetime”

Q: What is your favourite Bible / Scripture quote?

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future”

Q:  What is your definition of success in life?

To me Success is many things
– it is doing what you love
– it is going 100% after your goals and
– it is learning from your mistakes

 

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

My WHY? Is to do the best with what God has given me.

This is a tough question because I am only 16 years old and the future lies ahead of me. I have the potential but I still have to go out and achieve it first.

Right now, I can only influence others in 2 ways

1) Firstly, just being myself (there is a lot about me and my mannerisms on pool deck that make me different to the norm). I am comfortable with that. If my conduct can inspire everyone to be true to themselves – that will make me happy.

2) Secondly….If my peers can see me having Fun and being willing to do the hard work to achieve the success.

I have my unique combination of my background, my physical attributes, my temperament and my opportunities. They are completely different to my parents (who had to overcome enormous obstacles, so that I can have opportunities that exclude millions by virtue of the high cost of entry & participation).

Swimming is a sport that requires money (for coaching, kit, competitions & travelling), access to facilities & time (years of training) – I don’t see it changing soon….but maybe I can do something about that in later years.

I don’t know what the future holds…..nobody knows……at this point it certainly looks like swimming could give me a platform to develop my skills, to meet people, to travel the world and to ultimately influence people.

That’s all a long way away. Right now…..I am grinding hard and building it. There are no shortcuts and I am still very young. I am building the substance and gaining the experience. I am young and it all takes time. I would genuinely love to make 3 consecutive Olympic Games, starting in Toyko 2020 – that means hard work first and talking later.

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

My Family (my Dad, my Mum and my sister Amy-Joy) …..my family are amazing. They love me no matter what and they support me 100% (at great sacrifice). I could not do what I do without them.

 

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!

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Fresh & Hungry: Jonathan Horn

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Jonathan Horn, a grade 11 learner at Boys High is a dedicated and brilliant swimmer, a true young leader, with such a loyal heart towards all that he touches. As a little swimmer in grade 3 when he could not swim well at all, answered the coach who asked if he was ready with a confident “I was born ready”, and ended up taking 3rd place! This is exactly how on point he lives is life, in the moment, ready to seize the moment and make a difference where he is.

 

He says “ I am diligent and hardworking, I try my best to do everything I do to my best ability. I enjoy going out with my friends, I have very strong personal values and I believe in myself with everything I do, I believe self-confidence is the key to a happy life. I like to think that with living a life like mine and any athletes a bit of relaxation is important but there is a very fine line between relaxing and procrastinating. In the future I would like to procrastinate less and do a bit more studying when I can, I want to keep swimming and I want to peruse a happy life and never stop working hard.

 

 

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname Jonathan Horn
Nick Name At school, I am known as Lucky Star or Horn but everywhere else it’s just Jonathan or Jono
Date of birth 3 July 2000
Place of birth Pretoria
Current City Pretoria
Height 1.74m
Weight 70kg
Shoe Size 9
Club TUKS
Coach’s Name Keenan Riffle
Out of Country events/ meets NTS Mozambique 2016
Secondary Sport/ sports Indoor soccer and occasionally cross-country
Favorite City Cape Town
Favorite Song/ type of music My favorite song is Harry Potter by the whistles and the bells , and my favorite type of music is very relaxed music
Favorite Movie Guardians of the galaxy
School & Grade Pretoria Boys High School , grade 11
Instagram I only have Instagram, jonathan_horn21
Web site N/A
Community / church projects involved in Currently I am not involved in a church, but I help out where ever I see help is needed .
Parents Names, siblings Mom –Rae     Father – Michael

Brother – Brandon

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 journey actually started before I knew it in grade 3 when I could not swim at all (my mom says I looked like a cockroach) and I swam in the D- league gala for Irene primary school. As I stood behind the block for my one race, the 50m butterfly, my coach asked me if I was ready knowing that I could not swim very well, and I answered, I was born ready, and I ended up coming 3rd in that race. That woke up some competitive spirit in me, because since then I’ve always had a desire to be the best in everything I do. In that moment, my journey started and I never even realized it. Then later in my life I started at Pretoria Boys High School, this school changed my life in every way possible, it gave me friends, amazing teachers and a home.

In grade 8 the only thing I wanted was to wear the red full colors sport blazer but at the time I was not particularly good at any sport, but I wanted that blazer so I started playing water polo. I was constantly being kicked out of the A team and then brought back up. As a young boy this was emotional because I’ve always wanted to be the best, and so to be the best I started swimming. Through swimming I found myself , I learnt discipline and what it meant to be an athlete and I fell in love with the sport so much so that I ended up stopping water polo which was the reason I started swimming. At first no one at school understood why I did what I did because at my school being in the First team for a sport is about the biggest thing that can happen to someone. To be honest I don’t know why I did what I did either, but I suppose something inside me told me that swimming was the right thing for me.  Then earlier this year I got my red blazer and it means more to me than anyone can realize, to me it represents countless hours of hard work and all the tears and bloodshed that I have gone through. I know that I am not the best but I’m working on that, will I ever get to Olympics ? Who knows? and if I don’t , that’s ok to because this journey and this sport has taught me more than 12 years of school or any lesson. Swimming has truly changed my life.

 Q: Who are you? Describe yourself as a person.

I like to thing I am a nice guy, I am usually open to change depending on the situation. I am diligent and hardworking. I try my best to do everything I do to my best ability. I enjoy going out with my friends, I have very strong personal values and I believe in myself with everything I do. I believe self-confidence is the key to a happy life. At the moment I see the glass as half full, but like everyone  I have my days that I feel down and depressed but I’m human and that happens. I like to think that with living a life like mine and any athletes a bit of relaxation is important but there is a very fine line between relaxing and procrastinating. In the future I would like to procrastinate less and do a bit more studying when I can. I want to keep swimming and I want to peruse a happy life and never stop working hard.

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

I have only been swimming for about two years now but I think I have achieved quite a lot in this short time. My biggest achievements include winning 10 gold medals at the 2015 Mayoral Gala, this is not a big achievement, but personally it meant a lot. I have also come 3rd for the 100m butterfly at the 2016 NTS invitational gala. Furthermore I was invited to the 2016 NTS Mozambique gala where I came 1st for the 100m freestyle and for the 50m butterfly and I came 2nd for the 100m butterfly and 3rd for the 200m IM. I was also fortunate enough to attend the 2017 SA Schools Championship as part of team Gauteng where I came 5th for the 50m and 100m butterfly. My biggest achievement would be my selection to the SA Schools team.

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

I am Christian, but I do not attend church, I do believe that my talent and my gifts came from the man above. I have only encountered one situation where my faith came to test in my journey. This year (2017) I had trained twice a day through the December holidays all for one goal, which was to qualify for the junior nationals gala and all I had to do was drop 0.38s and then in February I swam the race and I had never felt more confident in myself . But then I added 3seconds. I was devastated and I started to question if there really was someone looking out for me.

But after a long time I’ve realized that everything happens for a reason even if the reason is never clear, one day it will become clear, and if it never becomes clear you just need to know there is a plan for you. In that experience that I had I think the reason for it happening was to teach me that no matter how hard you train or how ready you are things happen. You can’t always break yourself down after a bad race, and since then I’ve had a more light hearted approach to my races and I’ve been improving more than I could have imagined.

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

We all know that an education is the most important part of a child’s development, this is a lesson that has hit me hard in the last two years as I am on my way out of school and on to university. The sad reality of life is that only about 3% of athletes actually make a living off of their sport and so it is extremely important to have a plan B for if sport does not work out. You don’t need to be the top academic in your grade to be happy with your results, if you studied for 100% and only got 60% its ok because you gave it your all, but the biggest thing is not to be disappointed in yourself . In today’s world children are almost scared or actually terrified of failing because everyone tells them that if they fail or don’t get 80% for every test they will have a horrible life. And that’s not true, every person on this world has a talent and only a small amount of people have a talent for doing well at school.

It is important to study hard and do well. But it’s not everything in life. I for one have learnt more about people and life from two years of swimming than 11 years of school has taught me. I do believe that education plays a vital role in a young person’s life, but I also believe that school will be a lot easier and there will be a lot less pressure on children (especially in the higher grades) if they were taught to be happy with their academic abilities because we’re all different and we’re not all A+ students .

Q: So you swim well and are doing well in academics but name 1 thing that you suck at J

Singing, I love music and I wish I could play a musical instrument or even sing but I’m really terrible at it. I’ve tried once or twice to start singing to the words of a song when it comes on the radio but I should leave that to the professionals because I think I’m tone deaf. I even got a guitar for my birthday one year but I think the noises coming from my room were just so horrible my parents took it away.

Q: What is your favourite meal and who must cook it?

Macaroni and Cheese, my mom must cook it.

 Q: Besides your Swimming, what do you have a passion for?

I have a strong passion for my school. I think I owe a lot of who I am to my school, it is really a special place. It took me in when I was a 13-year-old boy and I was very timid and shy and I found it hard to make friends. But I was taught how to stand up for myself and be more self-confident which has helped me a lot in life.

I am also starting a YouTube channel soon which will be about my life as a swimmer and a student at Pretoria Boys High School. I am hoping it will just be a fun hobby to take my mind off of swimming and school.

Q: How do you currently manage to balance all the things in your life?

Currently I am only able to balance everything because I am very diligent about my time and my time management is quite good. But the one thing that really helps me balance my life is my mom. My mom is my rock, whenever I feel like I can’t handle my life anymore, she is my shoulder to cry on, she is always there when I need to go to training and she will never say no when I ask her for something. I honestly don’t think I could have had a better mother, she is truly a blessing to me.

Q: What is your definition of success?

My definition of success is not the amount of medals won or records broken, to me true success is happiness and a feeling of self-fulfillment. When I get out of the pool on a Sunday I feel like I am a success because I am happy that I completed another week of training. When an Olympic champion wins a gold medal they are not happy because they won the medal, they are happy because all the hours of training have paid off and they have a feeling of self-fulfillment. To me a true champion is the person who can get up after every bad race, be happy with something from the race even if it’s something small that no one else noticed, like one extra underwater kick . That person is a success because they are happy when everyone else would be disappointed.

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

My WHY is everyone who believes in me, everyone who doesn’t believe in me and everyone who doesn’t know me. To those who believe in me, I do what I do because I know they want me to succeed and do well in life. For those who don’t believe in me, I do what I do to prove to them that you can never underestimate someone just because they are different. To those who don’t know me, I do what I do so that one day I will hopefully be a positive role model to children and let them see that you don’t need to be the best to succeed in your own way .

If I can set an example to children or leave a legacy behind me I would like people to know that it’s never too late to start something and being the best is not everything in life. If you’re not the top athlete that’s fine, just don’t stop training. If you’re not the top academic in your grade, that’s ok, just don’t stop studying. If you work for what you want and you work harder than everyone else, then maybe just maybe one day things will work out.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

I just want to say that my mindset in life is this, this week I do what I could not do last week so that next week I can do what I could not do this week. What that means to me is that I must never stop working and I must never stop improving because one day it will pay off.

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!

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Meet the Young Athletes: Jacques Malan

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Jacques Malan shares his thoughts on deep issues like success, his faith in Christ and his challenges. He has had many set backs and broken body parts in his young swimming career, but he just keeps going – this indeed is yielding wonderful results as he is constantly upping his game and going from strength to strength. He has also had the honour of representing our beautiful nation internationally, and found it to be such an enriching experience. He speaks with much respect about his Coach – Michelle Vlasakova. He is a young man full of gratefulness and has a certain joie de vivre and smile that captivates those around him.

He says “I am a very sociable person and see only the good in other people.  I am easy going and do not stress too much.  My family would describe me as a bit lazy sometimes :-).  My goal is to be more focused this coming season”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name& Surname Jacques Malan
Nick Name Jacques
Date of birth 2002-03-04
Place of birth Pretoria
Current City Centurion
Height 1.74
Weight 70kg
Shoe Size 10
Club Alcatraz
Coach’s Name Michelle Vlasakova
Out of Country meets CANA Zone 4 – Mauritius 2016

XIX Gala Golfinhos Sprint 2016 – Mozambique
Secondary Sports Athletics – 100m, 200m & 400m
Favorite City Italy – I would like to one day go there
Favorite Song Alan Walker – sing me to sleep
Favorite Movie Fast & Furious nr 7
School & Grade Hoërskool Eldoraigne – Grade 9
Sponsors Key360 & a subsidy from Arena
Instagram names malan_jacques101
Parents Names, siblings Isabel – mom, Petrus – dad, Ruan – Brother

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?

I have loved swimming since I was a baby.  Up until 2014, I only participated in school galas.  When I moved to Michelle at Alcatraz three years ago I started swimming full time.  I had a bit of a setback when my first competitive season started in 2014. At school during PT, I broke two fingers on my left hand, which ended up with me needing surgery and getting pins in my fingers, which meant no swimming for 6 weeks.  I started training again and was back in the water for two weeks when I broke my right wrist.  Not wanting to miss any training we found a brace that was waterproof, even though I could not compete that year, it was possible for me to keep training and prepare for the 2015 swim season.  Since then I have been training hard and I am happy with the way I am progressing through the rankings.

Q: You have been proudly part of Team SA before representing our beautiful nation, where did you go what did that feel like?

I went to CANA Zone IV in Mauritius in 2016 as part of the old level 2 team.  It was very exciting and so much fun.  Mixing and socializing with swimmers from other African countries and the lasting friendships I formed was one of the highlights.

Q: Who are you? Describe yourself as a person.

I am a very sociable person and see only the good in other people.  I am easy going and do not stress too much.  My family would describe me as a bit lazy sometimesJ.  My goal is to be more focused this coming season.

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

Being chosen for the CANA team to Mauritius and the NTS Junior team to Mozambique.  Qualifying for the NTS Senior team this year, and achieving qualifying times for NJSA levels.  I also made the Gauteng School team in 2016 and 2017.

Q: Why do you have so much love and respect for your coach?

My coach, Michelle Vlasakova is a, no nonsense, hard working and dedicated coach.  For a relative small club her swimmers representation at National and Provincial level is outstanding. She is a firm believer of building us up gradually and not to over train us in order to achieve short-term success.

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

Regina Pizza from Enzo’s J.

Q: So you swim well but name 1 thing that you suck at J

Art – My mom has to basically assist me with all my assignments.  I think my teacher knows but keeps quiet in the hope that I drop the subject at the end of this year.  Oh and golf, my seven year old brother is better than meJ.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

“They never said it would be easy, they said it would be worth it”

Q: What is your favourite Bible / Scripture quote?

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this through him who gives me strength

Q: What is your definition of success in life?

To excel in what you love to do must be the ultimate reward.  Always stay humble.

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

It is very simple, I just love water and swimming.  I swim for myself.  My family support me all the way, but they do not put any pressure on me.  Although it is every persons dream to achieve the highest level in their sport, it is not always possible.  Just never give up on your dream.  I would like to be remembered as somebody that got along with everyone no matter their background.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

Discipline is doing what you know needs to be done even if you don’t want to do it.

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!

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Fresh & Hungry – Bernard Becker

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The story of Bernard Becker is one of being strong and courageous even in times of struggle and in times when results are not what they should be, despite hard and relentless training. He is a wonderful encouragement to all our little athletes that they need to push through the hard patches in sport. He puts his faith in God’s plan for his life and is ambitious for the future.

He says “ …things I would like people to see in me, is someone who can work hard when no one is looking. I am really a relaxed person when it comes to swimming. I try not to overthink stuff and to be calm at all times. I like to be alone especially when I train. I am focused and love swimming in my own lane. I don’t care what other people’s times are and I just train to swim the perfect race. I can do nothing about a competitor, I can only swim MY race”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname Bernard Becker
Nick Name Barry
Date of birth 19 March 2001
Place of birth Wligers Hospital, Pretoria
Current City Pretoria
Height 1,85 m
Weight 73 kg
Shoe Size nr 10
Club Gerhard Zandberg Sport Academy   (GZSA)
Coach’s Name Gerhard Zandberg
Out of Country events/ meets Mozambique  Aug 2015  and now the CANA Junior Africa Swimming Championships, coming up at the end of  March 2017 in Cairo, Egypt.
Secondary Sport/ sports Athletics- High jump
Favorite City Best memories in Sochi, Russia, Menlopark Choir tour, June 2016.

Love Pretoria, always!
Favorite Song/ type of music “It’s real”  Artist: Real Estate.

I  love Indie and hate Country.
Favorite Movie Tintin
School & Grade Menlopark Hoërskool, Gr 10
Sponsors Full sponsor from my dad……haha…. and ARENA
Twitter and Instagram names, facebook name Instagram: bernard_becker    Facebook: Bernard Becker
Community / church projects involved in I am part of NG Lynnwood and hope to be more involved in community projects, especially teaching under privileged people to swim and enjoy the water as much as I do. We have so much to give!
Parents Names, siblings My parents,Gert & Janet Becker,

my sister Janet(28) and

brother-in-law, Naudé(30) and their baby boy, Eduan(1) and then my big brother, Gerhard(25).

Yes, I am a ‘laatlammetjie’ and an uncle and I love it!

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 started in Gr1 when the whole grade was forced to go to the swimming try outs.  After the try outs I went to the inter house gala and came second in 25 freestyle. I didn’t even swim in a proper swimsuit all I had was a black skipants. I was terrible in cricket and not really the best in rugby so I saw swimming as an opportunity to do my own thing and as a challenge. From there on I took swimming lessons till I qualified for level 2 in grade 4. Allthough I trained a lot at that stage, I never won and really struggled to swim the times that I wanted. This motivated me more than winning. I learned how it felt not to win when I was little and that helped me a lot throughout my swimming career. I then started swimming with Gerhard Zandberg and then I started to win some races. Gerhard saw some potential in me and and took me to where I am now. We use a “smart training” approach that is completely different to the way I use to train and how most of my competitors train.

 Q: Who are you? Describe yourself as a person.

It’s hard to describe myself but the things I would like people to see in me, is someone who can work hard when no one is looking. I am really a relaxed person when it comes to swimming. I try not to overthink stuff and to be calm at all times. I like to be alone especially when I train. I am focused and love swimming in my own lane. I don’t care what other people’s times are and I just train to swim the perfect race. I can do nothing about a competitor; I can only swim MY race.

Q: You have been selected to be part part of Team SA for the Champs in Egypt in March – Congratulations! What is on your heart and mind right now regarding this upcoming event?

I’m super stoked to be on the team because this means that Swim SA has noticed me. I feel like my hard  work is paying off , but I know that if I want to become a professional swimmer, I have to win at this gala and even try to break a record. That would be so great!!

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

My greatest accomplishment so far is winning a gold medal in 50 freestyle, backstroke and fly at the 2016 Nationals. It made me feel so happy to see the result of all the hard training. I broke 5 NTS records at the 2016 NTS champs.

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

I am just so blessed to be in the position that I am with great parents and an awesome coach and love and support from everyone. I take nothing for granted . I know that my talents and my motivation comes from God and I am thankful and try to do the best with my talent. I try to stay humble and to keep my head away from the clouds, because I know that I could never be where I am on my own

Q: What do you do to relax?

Once every 2 – 3 weeks my friends and I braai together and just chill the whole night long. There is nothing so relaxing than to sit with your friends and relax. I am fortunate to have amazing friends. I also play Ukelele in my free time to relax. I also sing in the Menlopark choir that is the best mixed school choir in the country. I love dirt bike riding and wish there was more time for that.

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

Without education one will struggle in life. You need something to fall back on when you quit swimming. When you have a good education you are more than just a swimmer. You cannot rely on swimming alone to provide you with a good income and cannot keep on swimming forever. That is why I study hard to get to a good university to become a mechanical engineer.

Q: So, you are a brilliant athlete and academic– but name 1 thing that you suck at 🙂

I really suck at cricket. In Gr1, I went to one cricket practice and I hated it so much that I’ve never played it again. The result now is that I cannot  catch or hit a ball with any form of stick!! In other words-  I suck at ball sports.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

‘Losers quit when they’re tired. Winners quit when they’ve won.’ Anonymous

Q: What is your favourite Bible / Scripture quote?

Jeremiah 29;11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

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

I swim because I want to see how far I can get. I want to be the best 50 free style swimmer. I would like people to know me as someone who works very hard, always stays humble, loves his country, always tries his best and never gives up.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

I hope that I can inspire someone that does not win a lot,  to keep on trying and become as good as they can be, at what they do.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to share something of myself with you.

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!

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Olympics: Mixed swim relay could be added to Tokyo 2020 line-up

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LAUSANNE: Three or more new swimming events may be added to the Olympic roster for the 2020 Tokyo Games, a source close to the International Swimming Federation (FINA) told AFP on Monday (May 29).

Adding the new events, including a mixed gender relay, an 800-metre men’s freestyle and a 1,500-metre women’s freestyle, would extend swimming’s Olympic schedule into a ninth day, the source said.

At Rio 2016 the swimming programme was held over eight days.

“The Olympic broadcaster OBS wants it that way because swimming gets great audiences,” the source said.

A high diving event and a mixed gender synchronised event may also be added to the schedule.

Source: AFP/de

 

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Fresh and Hungry: Talea J Claassens

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Gratefulness makes you powerful. This beautiful quality so clearly  comes through  as I connect in this interview with young swimming champion girl – Talea Claasens. She has a will and determination of steel to not just succeed but the find the good and the positive in all areas in swimming and in life.

Talea is grounded in her Faith in Christ and has a bright future ahead of her. She is going from strength to strength on her swim journey as she has just competed at Junior and Senior nationals. She is a  true leader and is set on leaving a brilliant legacy for our young swimmers. She is Team Captain for the TUKS swim quad at the SAX training facility, and takes the position seriously as she strives to motivate and encourage our youth to reach for their dreams.

She says “I am a girl who cannot live without swimming, I am a very bubbly person, I’m almost never silent. I care deeply for the people around me and for the environment. I am forgiving, hard working, determined and passionate about everything I put my mind to. I believe that once you start something you have to finish it. I love to look on the bright side of situations although it isn’t always the easiest thing to do.”

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname Talea J Claassens 
Nick Name TJ
Date of birth 15 July 2000
Place of birth Centurion
Current City Centurion
Height 166
Weight 54
Shoe Size 4/5
Club Tuks Swimming
Coach’s Name Keenan Riffle and Rocco Mering
Out of Country events Golfinhos Sprint Gala
Secondary Sports Cross Country and Athletics
Favorite City Washington
Favorite Song/ type of music Shape of you – Ed Sheeran
Favorite Movie The Notebook
School & Grade Southdowns College, Grade 11
Instagram

Facebook

 talea_claassens

Talea J Claassens
Parents Names, siblings Mom: Michelle Leslie

Dad: Niel Claassens

Brother: Calin Claassens

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 career started when I was very young, I had to start attending swimming because I had fallen into the pool and almost drowned and at the same time my brother was busy doing competitive. I then started to do competitive swimming alongside him. Since then I’ve gone from struggling to qualify for Level 2 ( new level 3) to swimming my second Junior National gala and first Youth National gala.

Q:  Who are you? 

I am a girl who cannot live without swimming, I am a very bubbly person, I’m almost never silent. I care deeply for the people around me and for the environment. I am forgiving, hardworking, determined and passionate about everything I put my mind to. I believe that once you start something you have to finish it. I love to look on the bright side of situations although it isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

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

My greatest personal accomplishment would be when I qualified for Junior Nationals in 2015, to me this meant that all my hard work had finally paid off and that every early morning and late night next to the pool was and will always be worth it. My highest accolade would be when I was announced Female Team Captain to the Tuks group who train at SAX arena because it made me realize that putting inspiration into young swimmers/athletes/ kids is one of the most important lessons in life otherwise they might never realize their talents.

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

I believe that God is the reason I am able to be doing what I am and every chance I get, I thank him for keeping me safe and focused on what is important and what is not.

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

Education is everything. Without education our world would not be as evolved as it is today, education shapes our future and develops new and improved ways to better our world everyday. I also firmly believe that our bodies are growing old and one day we might not be able to do the things we are able to do now, but our minds will be able to.

Q: So you swim well and are doing well in academics but name 1 thing that you suck at?

I suck at Hockey, I can’t hit a ball with a stick to save my life.

Q: What is your favorite meal and who must cook it?

I am a sucker for hot-dogs, I don’t mind who makes them if in the end I get a hot-dog, I am happy.

Q: What or where do you draw inspiration from?

I find inspiration in the people around me, the people who are having the worst possible day but still smile at the end of it, the people who are struggling but keep struggling because they know at the end it’s going to be worth it. I find my inspiration in the people who decide to never say never.

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

  • The biggest challenge for me was to move from an Afrikaans school to an English school  in Grade 10, I found it difficult to understand some of the English terminology but I made the effort to study extra hard and when I don’t understand something to figure it out.

Q: What’s your WHY ? 

I swim because to me swimming is like breathing, it something I can’t live without. I do it because I love the feeling after a race when you have given it your all, that feeling when your legs are numb and your muscles are burning. I swim because when I hear my coach say: ” Talea, Talea, Talea…” no matter the words that follow I would always feel a rush of relief because someone who inspired me is busy taking time to teach or congratulate me. I swim because every time I jump into the water it feels like I’m home. I swim because swimming makes me feel at peace and happy.

I want to inspire people to give it their all to feel the numbing feeling in your body and to feel the pride after giving it your all, I want to help people realize that they are not the only ones who struggle and that they can trust the people around them. I want to motivate people to better themselves daily and to better themselves with a smile on their face and to do it because they want to not because someone else told them to.

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

I am also most grateful for the brilliant coaches that I have who are always pushing me to my limits and further and I am so grateful to Kaitlyn Albertyn who has helped me become more positive and more enthusiastic about the little things in life and my parents who made me who I am.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

Something that I live by is that nothing is impossible because the word impossible itself says I’m possible- Michael Phelps

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!

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Meet the Young Athletes: Kristin Lottering

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She is young, she is smart, she is fast, she is ambitious, she is hard working and she is definitely the face of our youth in 2017. Meet this champion swimmer girl Kristin Lottering. Grounded by her faith in Christ and her brilliant upbringing this young lady is one to watch for the future. She is proudly coached by Coach Dad – Frank Lottering, head coach at Lottering Aquatics – Limpopo. She is an advocate for human rights and equality and a big animal lover as well.  She has multiple Victrix Ludorum and other titles behind her name. But her ultimate end game is to become one of the world’s greatest female Olympians. She is brave and courageous and embraces ambition.

She says “I want little girls to look up to me one day. I want to be the best me I can be. I want to show people that nothing is impossible if you just believe (a Cinderella story). And dare yourself to do the things that scare you and get out of your comfort zone. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname Kristin Lottering
Nick Name Kris
Date of birth 16 February 2004
Place of birth Middelburg, Mpumalanga
Current City Thabazimbi
Height 1.55m
Weight 56Kg
Shoe Size 7
Club Lottering Aquatics
Coach’s Name Frank Lottering
Out of Country events/ meets Not yet
Secondary Sport/ sports Swimming
Favorite City Tokyo
Favorite Song/ type of music Girl on fire by Alica Keys
Favorite Movie The 5th wave
School & Grade Laerskool Thabazimbi, Grade 7
Sponsors None yet
(Twitter and Instagram names, Facebook name) Kristin_Lottering

INTERVIEW

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

At the age of five. I love playing in the water and I used to imagine I was a mermaid swimming in the sea with dolphins.

Q: Who are you? Describe yourself as a person and also the qualities you would like to see in yourself in the future.

I’m a big animal lover hence I have a miniature maltese poodle named Beeno. I’m a big fan of people being treated equally regardless of color, gender and creed. I believe in respect and loyalty.

I want little girls to look up to me one day. I want to be the best me I can be. I want to show people that nothing is impossible if you just believe (a Cinderella story). And dare yourself to do the things that scare you and get out of your comfort zone. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

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

  • I took the Victrix Ludorum at my old school 7 times from the age of 6 to 12.
  • At this year’s SA Schools I won a gold medal for the 50m butterfly for girls 13 years old, 2 silver medals for the 50m back and the 100m back.
  • At level 3 this year a gold medal for the 50m backstroke, a silver medal for the 100m backstroke and a third place for the 50m butterfly.
  • At the Limpopo Championships I took the Victrix Ludorum 3 times.
  • I received Limpopo colors 11 times for schools and club.
  • I qualified for SA Short Course in 2016 and again for 2017.
  • Total medals: 260 medals. Gold- 198 , Silver- 38 , bronze- 24.
  • Best times:

50m fly-31:10

50m free- 29:68

50m back- 33:47

100m back- 1:14:12

100m free- 1:06:13

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

Our family consists out of 4 members. My blue bulls supporter dad, Frank Lottering who is also my coach. My loving mom, Chrisna Lottering who supports me with everything I do and my awesome sister, Marina Lottering who is my number 1 fan and she is my rock.

I am in Laerskool Thabazimbi. My favourite teacher is juffrou Reeta Grobler who is my math teacher. My friends; Chrisna, Zane, Reane, Jahne, Talita, Elisna, Karla, Kaylin, Mikayla is the reason why I go to school every day(accept for the academics of course) the also support me very much and I am very thankfull for having friends like them.

Q: What is your big dream in life  🙂 ?

  • I am working to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
  • I would like to qualify for the World Championships
  • To qualify for the World Cup Series and World Championships Short Course.
  • To be the greatest woman swimmer of all time.
  • To beat the unbeatable.
  • To one day be in the same national team as Chad Le Clos, Jarred Crous, Armandt Maritz.

Q: I know you are brilliant little swimmer – but name the one thing that you suck at 🙂 ?

Being friendly in the morning. Saying no to sweeties and chocolates which are the devil (Suzelle DIY)

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

  • Swimming actually helped me to improve my academics.
  • My average last term was 87%.
  • Academics is important to me because if it wasn’t for the fact that I had to go to school I would be in the water all day.
  • I love to learn new things every day and if I can’t find the solution to something I try until I figure it out.

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

Potato Wedges made especially by Marina.

Q: Who is your Swimming / art / sport hero?  What have you learned from him / her?

  • Swimming; Chad Le Clos. That what happened to his parents didn’t change him it made him stronger. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties it means it’s going to launch you into something great. Never give up.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

Win without boasting, lose without excuses.

Q: What is your favourite Bible Verse?

Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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

That I have a wonderful family that supports me all the way and always make it possible for me to go to galas. And for making me who I am today.

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

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Meet the Young Athletes: Kaitlyn Albertyn

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Kaitlyn Albertyn is a mere 15 years old this year, and I was deeply inspired by her wisdom, insight and vision for the future. She has had her fair share of hardship in her young swimming career, and yet has managed to withstand and rise up again, put back her costume and goggles right back on and succeed brilliantly at this year’s Junior National Championships.

There is real girl power coming through in her brilliant interview below, this truly gives hope and expectation for SA’s swimmers. When young women step into their rightful place in sport and society, it is indeed a stunning thing to behold, and Kaitlyn is definaltely moving in this direction. I love the fact that she does not shy away from the word ambition.

She says “ I am a girl with a love for swimming. I am a person who believes in the power of your mind and that positivity is the key to success. I am hard working, determined and ambitious. I am someone who believes that goals should be scary and that there is nothing wrong with striving to be the best you can be. I believe that luck doesn’t exist and that you get nowhere without work and dedication”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname Kaitlyn Albertyn
Nick Name Kaity
Date of birth 23 August 2002
Place of birth Pretoria
Current City Pretoria
Height 172cm
Shoe Size 6/7
Club TUKS Swimming
Coach’s Name Rocco Mering
Out of Country events/ meets Golfinhos Sprint Gala
Secondary Sport/ sports Open Water Swimming
Favorite Song/ type of music Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
School & Grade Pretoria High School for Girls Grade 9
Instagram names Instagram- kaitlyn.albertyn
Parents Names, siblings Mom- Megan Albertyn

Dad- Gary Albertyn

Brother- Connor Albertyn

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?

I have swum for as long as I can remember. For most of my primary school years I swam for fun and was never really serious about it. When I was about eleven, I fell in love with swimming. I fell in love with the feel of the water on my skin. I fell in love with the atmosphere and vibes at galas. I fell in love with everything about it. For the next few years I swam more seriously and started getting better, until a few weeks after my thirteenth birthday when my entire world came crashing down. As dramatic as it sounds, that is what swimming had become- my world. So when the doctor told me I couldn’t swim because of a shoulder injury, I was devastated. I was a swimmer told not to swim and it was one of the hardest times of my life. After a long seven months and two weeks, I was finally able to swim again. Now being back in the water for a little under a year, I cannot be happier to be swimming again.

Q: Who are you? Describe yourself as a person.

I am a girl with a love for swimming. I am a person who believes in the power of your mind and that positivity is the key to success. I am hard working, determined and ambitious. I am someone who believes that goals should be scary and that there is nothing wrong with striving to be the best you can be. I believe that luck doesn’t exist and that you get nowhere without work and dedication.

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

My highest accolade, and probably my greatest personal achievement, would be going to Junior National 2017 and qualifying for Youth Nationals. While that might not be big for some, to me it shows all the progress I have made and all the things I have endured to be able to swim again after my shoulder injury.

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

I always try to remember when swimming that God is the reason I am able to. He has given me a healthy body and the talent to do what I do and I owe it all to Him.

Q: What do you do to relax?

To relax I like to hang out with friends and see my family. I also enjoy listening to music and absolutely love to read. I like to bake and to cook as well.

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

I believe that knowledge is power and that you can never stop learning. I think it is so important to remember how vital education is in a person’s life. As much as we hate to admit it, we can’t swim forever and it is important that we have good education so we are able to go places. School teaches you so much. Not just facts and subjects but also life lessons. It teaches us time management and social interaction and persistence and resilience. These are things that not only benefit us in life, but also in swimming.

Q: So you swim well and are doing well in academics but name 1 thing that you suck at J

I suck at dancing and singing and just about anything musical.

Q: What is your personal favourite motivational quote?

It’s a mental game. Your body is screaming at you. It comes down to who can ignore it the longest.”

Q: What is your favourite Bible / Scripture quote?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11.

Q: What’s your WHY ?  

I swim for that ache in your muscles and that burn in your lungs. I swim for that rush of endorphins and for that pure, unrelenting joy. I swim for the friends you make and the lessons you learn. I swim for that moment you hit the wall and look up at the scoreboard. I swim for myself.

I hope to influence the youth to strive for bravery, because in my opinion, that is a truly great person. But you cannot just be brave; you also have to be positive. You can do nothing unless you believe you can. I also hope to influence them to remember that competition is healthy, but it is also very important to build relationships with the swimmers around you. They are the ones who understand what you are going through, they have been there themselves.

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!

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FINA Swimming World Rankings – 90 Days to Budapest

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17th FINA World Championships

Budapest – Balatonfured 14th to 30th July 2017

With 90 days to go to the 17th FINA World Championships, these were the swimming world rankings.

 

Latest Women’s world ranking times: 

 50 m freestyle

  1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 23.83 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  2. Pernille Blume (DEN) 24.14 Danish Open Bronshoj 03.04.2017
  3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 24.34 Swim Cup The Hague 04.03.2017

100 m freestyle

  1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 52.54 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  2. Cate Campbell (AUS) 52.78 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  3. Bronte Campbell (AUS) 52.85 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017

200 m freestyle

  1. Michelle Coleman (SWE) 1:55.64 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  2. Emma McKeon (AUS) 1:55.68 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  3. Frederica Pellegrini (ITA) 1:55.94 Italian Champs Riccione 06.04.2017

400 m freestyle

  1. Katie Ledecky (USA) 4:01.01 Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa 13.04.2017
  2. Li Bingjie (CHN) 4:02.52 Chinese Champs Quindae 08.04.2017
  3. Ariarne Titmus (AUS) 4:04.82 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017

800 m freestyle

  1. Katie Ledecky (USA) 8:15.44 Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa 04.15.2017
  2. Ariarne Titmus (AUS) 8:23.08 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  3. Simona Quadarella (ITA) 8:25.08 Italian Champs Riccione 06.04.2017

1500 m freestyle

  1. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) 16:08.73 Spanish Championships Pontevedra 01.04.2017
  2. Simona Quadarella (ITA)16:10.66 Italian Champs Riccione 06.04.2017
  3. Kapás Boglárka (HUN) 16:12.86 Golden Tour Marseilles  03.03.2017

50 m backstroke

  1. Fu Yuanhui (CHN) 27.36 Chinese Champs Quindae 04.08.2017
  2. Xueer Wang (CHN) 27.55 Chinese Champs Quindae 04.08.2017
  3. Xiang Liu (CHN) 27.56 Chinese Champs Quindae 04.08.2017

100 m backstroke

  1. Kylie Masse (CAN) 58.21 Canadian Champs Victoria 06.04.2017
  2. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 58.62 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  3. Yuanhui Fu (CHN) 58.72 Chinese Champs Quindae 08.04.2017

200 m backstroke

  1. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 2:07.03 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  2. Daria K Ustinova (RUS) 2:07.23 Russian Championships Moscow 08.04.2017
  3. Kylie Masse (CAN) 2:07.23 Canadian Champs Victoria 06.04.2017

50 m breaststroke

  1. Yulia Efimova (RUS) 29.88 Russian Championships Moscow 08.04.2017
  2. Jennie Johansson (SWE) 30.39 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  3. Satomi Suzuki (kínai) 30.66 Chinese Champs Quindae 08.04.2017

100 m breaststroke

  1. Yulia Efimova (RUS) 1:05.90 Russian Championships Moscow 08.04.2017
  2. Jennie Johansson (SWE) 1:06.30 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  3. Katie Meili (USA) 1:06.37 Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa 04.15.2017

200 m breaststroke

  1. Yulia Efimova (RUS) 2:23.17 Russian Championships Moscow 08.04.2017
  2. Taylor McKeown (AUS) 2:23.58 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017
  3. Chloe Tutton (GBR) 2:23.89 Arena Pro Swim Series Indianapolis 03.04.2017

50 m butterfly

  1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 24.96 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  2. Rikako Ikee (JPN) 25.51 Japanese Champs Aichi 04.13.2017
  3. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 25.84 Swim Cup Eindhoven 06.04.2017

100 m butterfly

  1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 56.26 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  2. Rikako Ikee (JPN) 56.89 10th Tokyo Swminning Championships 28.01.2017
  3. Emma McKeon (AUS) 57.27 Australian Championships Brisbane 09.04.2017

200 m butterfly

  1. Suzuka Hasegawa (JPN) 2:02.96 Tokyo New Year Swimming Meet 14.01.2017
  2. Franziska Hentke (GER) 2:06.84 Swim Open Stockholm 08.04.2017
  3. Hiroko Makino (JPN) 2:06.92 10th Tokyo Swminning Championships 29.01.2017

200 m individual medley

  1. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) 2:09.56 Canadian Champs Victoria 06.04.2017
  2. Yui Ohhasi (JPN) 2:09.96 Japanese Champs Aichi 04.13.2017
  3. Rikako Ikee (JPN) 2:09.98 Kitajima Cup Tokyo 27.01.2017

400 m individual medley

  1. Yui Ohhasi (JPN) 4:31.42 Japanese Champs Aichi 04.13.2017
  2. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) 4:35.01 Spanish Championships Pontevedra 01.04.2017
  3. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) 4:35.43 Canadian Champs Victoria 06.04.2017

 

Latest men’s world ranking times: 

50 m freestyle:

  1. Vladimir Morozov (Russian)​21.44​Moscow, 14 April. (Russian Championships)
  2. Cameron McEvoy (Australian)​21.55​Brisbane, 13 April. (Australian Championships)
  3. Evgeny Sedov (Rusdian)​​21.74​Moscow, 14 April. (Russian Championships)

100 m freestyle:

  1. Cameron McEvoy (Australian)​47.91​Brisbane, 9 April. (Australian Championships)
  2. Nathan Adrian (US)​48.18​Mesa,  13 April (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  3. Kyle Chambers (Australian)​48.20​Brisbane, 12 April. (Australian Championships)

200 m freestyle:

  1. Sun Yang (Chinese)​​1:44.91​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)
  2. Gabriele Detti (Italian)​​1:46.38​Riccione, 6 April. (Italian Champs)
  3. Shun Wang​​​1:46.57​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)

400 m freestyle:

  1. Sun Yang (Chinese)​​3:42.16​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)
  2. Gabriele Detti (Italy)​​3:43.36​Riccione, 6 April. (Italian Champs)
  3. Mack Horton (Australian)​3:44.18​Brisbane,  9 April (Australian Championships)

800 m freestyle:

  1. Gabriele Detti (Italian)​​7:41.64​Riccione, 6 April. (Italian Champs)
  2. Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italian)​7:47.27​Riccione,  6 April (Italian Champs)
  3. Sun Yang (Chinese)​​7:48.33​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)

1500 m freestyle:

  1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italian)​14:37.08 Riccione,  6 April (Italian Champs)
  2. Gabriele Detti (Italian)​​14:48.21 Milan, 11 March. (VII. Milano Trophy)
  3. Mack Horton (Australian)​14:51.21 Brisbane,  9 April (Australian Championships)

50 m backstroke:

  1. Evneny Rylov (Russian)​​24.52​Moscow, 8 April. (Russian Championships)
  2. Junya Koga (Japanese)​​24.53​Sydney,  3 March (New South Wales Open)
  3. Marek Ulrich (German)​24.90​Eindhoven,  6 April (Swim Cup)

100 m backstroke:

  1. Jiayu Xu (Chinese)​​51.86​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)
  2. Evgeny Rylov (Russian)​​53.13​Moscow, 8 April. (Russian Championships)
  3. Matt Grevers (US)​53.31​Austin,  15  January (Arena Pro Swim Series)

200 m backstroke:

  1. Evgeny Rylov (Russian)​​1:53.81.Moscow, 13 April. (Russian Championships)
  2. Jiayu Xu (Chinese)​​1:55.04​Indianapolis, 3 March. (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  3. Kliment Koleshnikov (Russian)​1:54.49​Moscow,  13 April (Russian Championships)

50 m breaststroke:

  1. Adam Peaty (British)​​26.86​Indianapolis, 3 March. (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  2. Nicolo Martinenghi (Italian)​26.97​Riccione, 6 April. (Italian Champs)
  3. Kirill Prygoda (Russian)​​27.12 ​Moscow, 8 April. (Russian Championships)

100 m breaststroke:

  1. Adam Peaty (British)​​58.86​Indianapolis, 4 March. (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  2. Zibei Yan (Chinese)​​58.92​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)
  3. Yasuhiro Koseki (Japanese)​59.26​Aichi,  13 April (Japanese Champs)

200 m breaststroke:

  1. Ippei Watanabe (Japanese)​2:06.67​Tokyo,  27 January (Kitajima Cup)
  2. Erik Persson (Swedish)​​2:07.85​Stockholm, 8 April (Swim Open)
  3. Anton Chupkov (Russian)​2:08.03​Moscow,  8 April (Russian Championships)

50 m butterfly:

  1. Oleg Kostin (Russian)​​23.27 ​Moscow, 8 April (Russian Championships)
  2. Benjamin Proud (British)​23.29​Marseilles, 3 April (Golden Tour)
  3. Zhuhao Li (Chinese)​​23.36​Qingdae,  8 April (Chinese Champs)

100 m butterfly:

  1. Chad Le Clos (South African)​51.29​Durban, 7 April (SA National Aquatic Championships)
  2. Zhuhao Li (Chinese)​​51.34​Indianapolis, 2 March. (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  3. David Morgan (Australian)​51.81​Brisbane,  9 April (Australian Championships)

200 m butterfly:

  1. Chad Le Clos (South African)​1:55.00​Durban, 5 April. (SA National Aquatic Championships)
  2. Zhuhao Li (Chinese)​​1:55.09 Qingdae, 8 April (Chinese Champs)
  3. Kenderesi Tamás (Hungarian)​1:55.20 Nizza, 4 February (Golden Tour)

200 m  medley:

  1. David Morgan (Australian)​1:55.70​Brisbane, 9 April. (Australian Championships)
  2. Irvine Grant (Australian)​1:56.05 Brisbane, 9 April (Australian Championships)
  3. Shun Wang (Chinese)​​1:56.16 Qingdae, 8 April (Chinese Champs)

400 m medley:

  1. Verrasztó Dávid (Hungarian)​4:10.01​Marseilles, 3 March (Golden Tour)
  2. Daiya Seto (Japanese)​​4:10.22​Indianapolis, 3 March (Arena Pro Swim Series)
  3. Kosuke Hagino (Japanese)​4:10.45​Aichi, 13 April (Japenese Champs)

 

Home SA Schools Champs Championships Sports Swimming

The 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships – Day 4

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The Gauteng Schools became the undisputed winners of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships

Polokwane, Thursday, 13th April 2017  – The Gauteng Province Schools were the undisputed winners of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships with a total of 154 medals (74 gold, 48 silver and 32 bronze), as the competition successfully concluded today at the Polokwane Swimming Pool in Limpopo.

The event, which was organized by Sport and Recreation South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, Swimming South Africa and National Schools Aquatics, has seen four days of fast times and great potential from both schools and swimming clubs.

The first race of the afternoon was the 400m freestyle, which saw the men’s gold medals going to KZN’s Leshen Pillay (13) in 4:58.43 and Gauteng’s Janco Rademeyer (17) in 4:26.62, while the winning ladies were Free State’s Chloe le Roux (13) in 4:49.75 and Mpumalanga’s Jordyn Minifie (16) in 4:44.54.

Pillay also scooped the bronze medal in the 100m butterfly in 1:11.69.

North West’s Pieter Coetze (13) was victorious on two occasions, clocking the fastest times in both the 50m backstroke and 100m butterfly in 31.17 and 1:05.40, while the remaining age group gold medals went to Gauteng’s William Roos (12),  Mpumalanga’s Giano dos Santos (15) and Limpopo’s Heinrich Strydom (17) in 33.57, 29.91 and 28.87, respectively.

The ladies’ hotly contested 50m backstroke saw some amazing swims from KZN’s Ashley Ebing (12) and Cara Message (13), Eastern Cape’s Alexia Velde (14) and Chloe Velde (16), who won their age group races in 34.88, 33.82, 32.25 and 31.71.

There were fast times in the 100m butterfly with Gauteng’s Kian Keylock (12), Western Cape’s Eugene van der Merwe (15) and Limpopo’s Ivan Beukes (17)  bagging the gold in their respective age categories in 1:11.03, 1:01.46 and 58.58, while on the ladies’ side, the first places went to KZN’s Emma Christianson (12) in 1:11.26, Free State’s Luchelle Oosthuizen (13) in 1:12.15, North West’s Idele du Toit (15) in 1:09.32 and Western Cape’s Kristen Straszacker (17) in 1:06.97.

Ending the event with three gold medals was Gauteng’s Thulane Mabuza (S10), adding the multi-disability 100m backstroke to his tally in 1:19.22, while Mpumalanga’s Naysi Strauss (S14) won her respective race in 2:00.75.

In the 50m multi-disability freestyle, the gold was claimed by Western Cape’s Adin Pieters (S15) in 30.50, with the ladies’ first places going to Mpumalanga’s Gene Prinsloo (S14) in 51.46 and Gauteng’s Bongekile Sabeka (S10) in 37.99.

Final Medal Table:

Position Province Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Gauteng Schools 74 48 32 154
2. KZN Aquatics 38 36 35 109
3. Mpumalanga 12 14 16 42
4. Free State Schools 12 14 13 39
5. Eastern Cape Aquatics 9 8 9 26
6. Limpopo Schools 7 13 14 34
7. Western Cape Schools Association 6 13 21 40
8. North West Swimming 5 4 3 12

 

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