With a place on the team to represent the country at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Japan in July up for grabs, two Eastern Gauteng Aquatics (EGA) swimmers excelled at the national open water championship at the Marina Martinique in Jeffrey’s Bay in March.
Among a team of 13 swimmers representing EGA at the competition, Matthew Caldwell and Byron Kimber, who swim for Bedfordview’s Cardinals Aquatics Club, grabbed personal milestones in their events to be in contention for a spot in Team South Africa going for the global showpiece.
“The first and second placed athletes in the 5km and 10km individual events at the nationals may be considered to the South Africa team going to the world championships,” said EGA president Cheryl Knight.
Caldwell started the competition well with a gold medal in the men’s 3km, winning the race in 34:43.
Knowing that a place in the top two might guarantee him a place in team SA, Caldwell rose to the occasion in the three-lap 5km race, finishing in 57:49, 26 seconds behind winner Connor Buck. Kimber completed the podium after finishing the race in 57:54, behind his teammate.
Caldwell made it three podiums in three races, this time beating a field of seven formidable distance swimmers to clinch the gold medal in the men’s 7.5km after finishing the six-lap event in 01:31:25.
With his teammate’s name already in the hat for world championship selection, Kimber pulled off a great swim in the men’s 10km to finish in second place after clocking 01:59:23, a second behind winner Buck.
Knight expressed her excitement with how the EGA’s elite swimmers performed, adding that the future of distance swimming in the region looks bright.
“EGA are very proud of the open water nationals’ team. Several swimmers swam personal best times and we are very excited for the future of open water swimming in the district of Eastern Gauteng,” she said.
The FINA World Aquatics World Championships will take place in the Japanese city of Fukuoka from July 15 to 20.
Knight invited those interested in open water swimming to contact the EGA open water convenor on 083 602 1836.
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