Swimmers dream big

Seven years ago, the swimmers were racing at their first school inter house galas, hoping to make the school team.

BIG DREAMS: The swimmers are with their coaches and with their first autographs which are hopefully the first of many. With a little inspiration and loads of perspiration, their dreams can come true! Front: Trent Graham, Sidney Coetzee, Erin Graham, Leah White and Thomas Woodhead. Back: Cade Moreira, Matthew Estment, Wesley Williams - Head Coach, Abigail Williams -Coach, Brad Gunther and Joshua Swanepoel.

SEVEN years before the 2012 Olympic Games where Chad le Clos won gold and silver, he was just a 13-year-old boy with big dreams.

In seven years time, Perfect Stroke Swimming Club is hoping to have some of its swimmers represent South Africa at the XXII Commonwealth Games in Durban.

Seven years ago, the swimmers were racing at their first school inter-house galas, hoping to make the school team, and now, Erin Graham has won bronze at South African Level Three Nationals and qualified for Olympic Trials.

Brad Gunther has won silver medal while representing Gauteng at the Northern Tigers Swimming Invitational Gala in the 1 500m freestyle. In this event he took nearly a minute off of at SA Level Three Nationals.

Sidney Coetzee has won the victrix ludorum at Southern African Christian Schools Sports Association. Leah White is a Central Gauteng Association Open Champs medalist and Trent Graham, Cade Moreira, Matthew Estment, Joshua Swanepoel and Thomas Woodhead are all SA Level Two Regionals medalists.

And in seven years time it’s Durban 2022.