Aquafins bag 19 medals
The SA Regional Level 2 and 3 Championships were held by Limpopo Aquatics in April.
Aquafins Swimming Club is one of the few clubs promising to give birth to some of finest swimmers in the country.
The club returned from the South African Regional Level 2 and Level 3 Championships last month with a total of 19 medals, an incredible tally for a team of only ten swimmers.
Hosted by Limpopo Aquatics, the SA Regional Level 2 Championships were held from 7 to 9 April in Polokwane.
Three young swimmers were entered, with Aquafins’ Sebastian Reyneke, 12, taking 5 medals. Sebastian’s breaststroke stole the show, seeing him claim a silver in the 50m, bronze in the 100m and gold in a very close 200m breaststroke race. Seeded second for the 200m breaststroke, Sebastian needed to lose five seconds on his swim if he wanted to take first place.
Coach Tessa Elliott reflected on the competition saying, “He [Sebastian] wanted that gold so badly. The two boys swam next to each other the whole way, but Sebastian came first. It was such an exciting race.”
Tessa is one of the coaches working alongside the club coach Sam Veldman, a renowned expert in aquatic sports.
Sebastian continued the competition with fire in his heart as he claimed a second gold in the 200m backstroke and took bronze in the 200m individual medley. Another club member Ma?ana du Toit, 13, followed up with a further 3 medals, winning gold in an incredible 200m individual medley, silver in the 200m backstroke and bronze in the 100m backstroke. Jenna Bidgood, 11 who was attending her first regional championships, took silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 50m breaststroke.
The Aquafins Swimming Club placed 21st out of the 47 clubs participating in the Championships.
The club also did well in the SA Regional Level 3 Championships, between 3 and 6 April, in Tshwane, where seven swimmers claim 9 medals. Among them was celebrated swimmer Matthew Eksteen, 11, who performed well at his first Regional Level 3 gala.
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