All-round success for Calvin at world champs

THERE’S a quiet gleam of determination in the eyes of La Lucia resident, Calvin Coetzee, when he says he would like to make the South African Olympic squad next year. The 18-year-old had a busy, but successful festive period winning five medals across two different sporting disciplines. In early December, the Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club member represented the South African junior team at the Lifesaving World Championships (LWC) in Adelaide (Australia).

Coetzee won two bronze medals in the 200 metres obstacle race and for the 4×50 metres combined medley relay.

“I was extremely happy with my results. In the obstacle race I was able to beat my personal best by three seconds which I was stoked with. That was also one of my toughest races because I came up against two junior Olympic swimmers. I also managed to make the final of every individual event I competed in so overall I couldn’t have asked for a better competition,” he enthused.

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A strong performance from the youth team saw the South African junior team finish fourth overall in the medal standings.

Coetzee had little time to celebrate flying back to Durban for four days before jetting off to Botswana to represent the South African swimming team at the Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 U20 Youth Games in Gaborone.

Incredibly, Coetzee won three medals (two individual and a team event) in Botswana. He won gold in the 200 metres freestyle, silver in the 400 metres freestyle and gold in the 4×100 metres freestyle race with fellow team members, Matthew Bosch Gawie Nortje and Louw Oberholzer.

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“I was quite tired after getting back from Australia so I basically had four days to rest and refocus on the African champs. The SA team spirit was great in the camp and that certainly helped with the atmosphere and it motivated me to reach higher,” he said.

Overall the South African swimming team dominated the U20 Youth Games winning 62 medals over four days of competition, two more than the 2016 event.

“I want to make the South African team for the Olympics next year so I just need to keep on being consistent and doing my best. I don’t think I’m ready to compete in any of the individual teams for the Olympics but my goal is to make the 4×100 metres freestyle relay team. I firmly believe that to be a champion, you need to believe in yourself, when no one else will,” he said.

With his recent performances, there’s no denying the talent of Coetzee and his potential to win medals for South Africa at a senior level.

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