TWO uMhlanga Rocks Surf Lifesaving Club members were recently recognised at the Lifesaving South Africa awards evening. Paige Horn and Connor Botha, were named junior female athlete and junior male athlete of the year at the awards evening.
The duo have also been selected to represent South Africa at the upcoming Lifesaving World Championships Adelaide.
For Horn, an Our Lady of Fatima learner, this will be her first national call-up.
“I didn’t expect to win junior female of the year so it was a surprise when they called out my name. I’m also honoured to have been selected for the SA junior team ahead of the world champs. It’s my first international tournament and I know it’s going to be tough as the athletes from Australia and New Zealand are extremely competitive. That said, I think it will be a huge learning curb for me and offer me a chance to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best.”
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Horn will be competing in the flags and sprints event for the junior team.
Connor Botha, who represented SA last year at the International Surf Rescue Challenge echoed Horns’ sentiments saying he too was looking forward to the world champs.
“I was super happy to be selected for the national team again. It’s always a huge honour for me. Like Paige said the world champs will be a huge challenge for us but it’s one we are looking forward to,” he said. “There are a number of KZN athletes in the SA team and it’s awesome to have people you know on the team and who you know will be supporting you.”
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