Local canoeist Daniel van Eeden performed well for Gauteng in the recent South African Marathon Championships.
The Blairgowrie resident and Laerskool Unika learner trains at Dabulamanzi Canoe Club, Emmarentia.
The 12-year-old competed in the U14 division in the championships at Hazelmere Dam, KwaZulu-Natal, and finished the 15.5km race in 1:32:00, coming in eighth position.
He also doubled up in the K2 (kayak two-person boat race), with his good friend Matthew Charter to finish in 1:26:00, as the fifth U14 finishers.
This follows Daniel winning the U14 division in the Gauteng Marathon Championships and doing well at other races in the province to earn selection for the SA Marathon Championships.
“I have been canoeing for three and a half years and my favourite thing about it is after time, I become faster and stronger after doing the work to get there,” Daniel told Randburg Sun.
“I do both sprint and marathon races, and I like them both. But I seem to lean more toward marathons because I have the strength for it.”
While he races on his own aplenty, Daniel also loves to race K2 with Matthew whenever he can.
“The only thing I do not like about canoeing is that in winter it is cold and your feet can get wet. And when you fall out into the icy water it is even worse.”
Daniel must wait until the Gauteng Canoe Union’s sprint championships in April next year before competing again.
But he will be training regularly until then to maintain his speed and endurance.
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