It was reported two weeks ago that three Ladysmith Marlins Swimming Club swimmers – Cassidy Muller, Dian Yssel and JJ van der Hoogen – had qualified for the SA Open Water Championships in Grabouw.
With great excitement, the swimmers arrived in Gordansbay. On Saturday, March 7, they travelled to Grabouw for the 3km swim. It was not ladies first this time, so Dian and JJ reported for the briefing session where the route was explained to them.
The time arrived for 98 swimmers to walk to the water and position themselves for the start of the men’s 3km race in which they had to do three laps of 1km. While they swam stroke for stroke against each other, the spectators tried to spot their swimmers in the water.
The journey ended for the swimmers when they reached the finish. Then it was the turn of the females’ 3km. Cassidy reported for her briefing and then it was down to the water for the start. While the men swam their race, they had a light wind against them. By the time the females swam, the wind blew a bit stronger, making it more difficult.
In open water, swimmers are divided into age groups for results. JJ made us all very proud to become the first swimmer in the club to receive a medal at the SA Open Water Champs. He received a silver medal for the age group 19 to 30 years in a time of 39:42.64, improving his entry time by three minutes. Dian finished 25th in the age group 14 to 15 years, and Cassidy 19th in the age group 17-18 years.
On Sunday, March 8, JJ took on the 5km race. This was two laps of 2.5km. The swimmers were not so lucky with the wind during the 5km, 40 swimmers had to battle with waves, making it difficult to see the markers in the water. But they did not give up and spectators saw an exciting finish between Chad Ho and Danie Marais. JJ improved on his entry time by two minutes with a time of one hour, 10 minutes and 47.89 seconds, finishing ninth in his age group. Congratulations to our three open water swimmers.
To Coach Ivan Ball, thanks for the time you spent with your swimmers and all the encouragement from you and Denise.
The swimmers would like to thank all the sponsors for the kit they received and their parents for getting them to Grabouw.
