Vryheid swimmers slice through the water

Every year, the new swimming season starts in Vryheid on October 1 and by the first week in February, the qualifying times for the different level galas close. This is a very short period of time in which the swimmers need to prove themselves and swim qualifying times to progress to the next level. All swimmers start on Level 1, then move on to Level 2, Level 3, SANJ (up to the age of 16) and SA (17 and over). During the National Level galas, swimmers compete with different provinces – on that level and that age. This year, the Level 2, SANJ and Level 3 galas were held at Kingspark Swimming Pool, with swimmers from Natal, the Free State, Northern Cape and Mbombela taking part.

The Level 2 gala was held from March 17 to 19 and the following swimmers qualified to participate:

Izaan Scheepers – gold: 50m Breast, 100m Breast, 100m Free, 50m Back, 50m Free; and bronze: 100m Back.

Nadelija Pillay – bronze: 200m IM and 200 IM Relay, sixth for 200m Free, 10th for 50m Fly, 50m Free, and seventh 50m Back.

Lea Wenning – bronze: 200 IM Relay, fifth 100m Free, sixth 50m Back, fifth 200m Free, seventh 100m Back, eighth 50m Free.

Leandri Grobler – gold: 50m Breast, 100m Breast, 200m Breast, Silver 200 IM, 100m Back, 50m Fly.

Marthinus van Niekerk – bronze: 200 IM Relay, fifth 200m Breast.

Pierre Grobler – gold: 100m Free, 200m Free, 50m Fly, 100m Fly, 50m Free.

Reinhard Meyer – bronze: 200m Free and 200 IM Relay, fifth 100m Breast, 50m Free, fourth 200m Breast.

The SANJ gala was held from March 21 to 25 and Giuliana Vyncke qualified.

Her results were as follow: four gold (50m and 100m Fly, 50m and 100m Free); and one silver (200m Free). Giuliana also qualified for the SA Short Course and Natal Schools team that will be swimming at the SA Schools gala. Vryheid Swimming Club is looking forward to seeing her in action there.

The Level 3 gala was held from March 31 to April 3 and the following swimmers qualified to participate: Marnus Pretorius, Michael Steyn, Ruben Potgieter and Zoé Richards.

Ruben Potgieter won gold in 50m Freestyle and came fifth in 100m Freestyle.

Zoé Richards won gold in 100m Breast and silver in 50m Breast.

Marnus Pretorius came ninth in 200m Free, sixth in 100m Fly and seventh in 100m Free.

Michael Steyn came 11th in 100m Breast, seventh in 50m Breast, eighth in 200m Breast and 23rd in 50m Freestyle.

Ashely Loch, Ivana Vyncke and Danika Vyncke will be participating in the SA National gala at Gqeberha from April 12 to 16. Vryheid Swimming Club wishes you all the best; you make us proud.

Danika and Ivana also qualified for the Natal Schools team that will be participating at the SA Schools gala. Good luck!

Exciting news: The World Championship for disabled swimmers will be swum in Paris at the end of May, and Danika Vyncke qualified. Vryheid Swimming Club is super proud of her and wishes her all the best. This is a lifetime achievement and a well-deserved opportunity, so good luck, Danika.

Vryheid Swimming Club acknowledges all the hard work and effort put in by each swimmer who pitches up for swimming early in the mornings or late in the afternoons, no matter what the weather is. Thank you to all the parents for the support and always driving the swimmers to galas. For up-to-date results and galas, please visit the Vryheid Swimming Club website at www.vryheidswimmingclub.co.za

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.