QUEENSBURGH High School pupils started an intense swimming training programme in January this year, targeting the Midmar Mile swimming race.
Training took place before school at 6.30am and again in the afternoon at 3pm every day in the school pool. The pupils pushed themselves to the limit and swam a qualifying time trial of 1 500m in 50 minutes on Monday, 8 February.
The Midmar atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as swimmers prepared to swim the world’s biggest open water race on a recent weekend. Six pupils from Queensburgh High School entered the race, with just five completing it and the sixth pupil being unable to, because of an asthma attack.
Monique McMillan, Aaron Timm, Leon Gqiba and Fanele Linda successfully completed the race with Tyler-Lee Beukes finishing with the fastest time of under 35 minutes. Seventeen-year-old Caitlin Neethling, despite been challenged with asthma, qualified for the race, but could not complete it. On Sunday Neetling swam more than half the mile.
“Caitlin did not finish the race as she had an asthma attack. The school, principal and I, the coach, are exceptionally proud of all the swimmers as well as Neetling who was courageous enough to try the race, despite her asthma,” said deputy principal, Mr M Myburgh.
Myburgh said his aim was to equip his pupils with courage and the mindset of striving and completing their goals. “Here, we taught the learners how to dream about big objectives, how to discipline their minds and train their bodies and the will to complete their dreams and achieve objectives – this being the Midmar Mile. The principles taught and experience gained here can be used by the children to accomplish any objective they set sights on,” he said.
