High performance from Weltevreden Park paddler

Weltevreden Park resident and Maragon High School pupil David Rodriguez is a member of the Dabulamanzi Canoe Club based at Emmarentia Dam.

He represented Gauteng at the South African Sprint event which took place recently at Nagle Dam in Kwazulu-Natal Province. He finished in 5th position overall in the U18, with 42 points.

Sprint racing is recognized as the most important canoeing discipline as it is the main Olympic discipline.

Sprints cover a variety of distances some for male and others for female, including 200m, 500m, 1000m, and long distance events up to 5000m.  Races take place in K1 (single kayaks), K2 (doubles) as well as K4 racing kayaks.

The younger sprinters in Gauteng will be competing at the South African School Interprovincial Sprint competition on the first weekend of May in Eastern Cape.