Day 03 of the 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships
Polokwane, Wednesday, 12th April 2017 – The National SA Schools Championships swimming action continued at the Polokwane Town Swimming Pool in Limpopo tonight (Wednesday, 12th April 2017) and SA’s talented youth persisted on their quest for glory.
Gauteng schools dominated the pool once again with a total 126 medals (63 gold, 38 silver and 25 bronze), while KZN Aquatics came a close second with 88 medals (32 gold, 28 silver and 28 bronze), and the Free State schools third with 31 medals (10 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze).
The fast 50m freestyle event lived up to expectations when Gauteng’s Willem Roos (12), Free State’s Simeon Vorster (13), KZN’s Lucas Beukes (15) and Gauteng’s Jan Moll (16) all touched the wall with golden times of 29.00, 27.53, 25.31 and 24.42, as the ladies who brought home the title were KZN’s Emma Christianson (12), Mpumalanga’s Brooklyn Croxon (13), Free State’s Alida van der Merwe (14) and Eastern Cape’s Lesley Blignaut (17) in 29.93, 27.99, 27.97 and 27.55, respectively.
12 year old Elijah Dredge from Gauteng claimed victory in the 200m backstroke event in 2:36.52, with the other wins in the various categories going to teammates Joshua Neuhoff (13) in 2:38.86 and Ethan Spieker (15) in 2:15.20 as well as Free State’s Cullen Thomas (17) in 2:16.16.
In the ladies 200m backstroke, the champions were Dieu van Jaarsveld (12) in 2:42.18, KZN’s Courtney Steyn (13) in 2:32.10, Eastern Cape’s Tayla Botha (15) in 2:31.04 and Gauteng’s Janie Coetzer (16) in 2:27.96.
Gauteng’s Benke Grobler (12), KZN’s Ozzy Aromin (13), Free State’s Luan de Waal (15) and Gauteng’s Michael Deans (16) finished first in the 200m breaststroke in 2:52.20, 2:46.72, 2:34.86 and 2:30.46, while the ladies who grabbed the gold in their respective age group races were Gauteng’s Michaela dal Medico (12), KZN’s Emma Kuhn (13), Gauteng’s Gabriella Moll (14) and Mpumalanga’s Jordyn Minifie (16) in 2:57.96, 2:50.13, 2:49.88 and 2:48.09, respectively.
There was plenty to celebrate in the multi-disability events with Mpumalanga’s Shane le Roux (13), Gauteng’s Slindokuhle Mabanga (18) and Bongekile Sabeka (19) winning the 100m breaststroke in 2:53.86, 1:19.24 and 1:52.90, respectively.
Gauteng’s Pierre Dellieu bagged his third gold medal of the competition in the S14-15 50m butterfly in 26.86, while KZN’s Simone Mare (16) won the S1-13 race in 50.48.
The 2017 National SA Schools Swimming Championships, which is organized by Sport and Recreation South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, Swimming South Africa and National Schools Aquatics, will conclude tomorrow with the heats starting at 09h00 and the finals at 15h00.
