Hoping for gold at Gold Coast

Four Randburg swimmers were born to compete on the world’s biggest stages.

Brent Szurdoki, Mariella Venter, Jarryd Baxter and Kate Beavon have been selected to represent South Africa at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Australia, in April.

The swimmers train under Peter Williams, himself a former 50m freestyle world record holder, at Waterborn Swimming Club in Praegville.

All four swimmers live in Randburg, and share similar goals for their first Commonwealth Games: Beat their personal best times and do enough to earn qualification to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“My goal is to reach the finals of the 1 500m freestyle and make top eight,” said Szurdoki (21) of Sundowner, who will also swim the 400m freestyle.

“It may only be the Commonwealth countries but it will still be tough. If I take a medal along the way it will be nice.”

North Riding resident, Baxter (18) will swim 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley.

“My freestyle on the last leg [of the medley] is good and my backstroke is good, I am working on my breaststroke at the moment,” he said.

Baxter added that his goal was to just be the best swimmer he could be, to have the best time possible, and be happy with his swimming.

Linden resident, Venter (18), hopes to swim at the Olympics as well as at the top level for the University of Michigan, where she will study in America next year.

Venter will swim 100m and 200m backstroke at the Gold Coast.

Beavon (17) of Windsor Glen likewise wants to swim for a university in America and hopes the Commonwealth experience and possible qualification for the Tokyo Olympics will boost her swimming career.

She will swim 800m freestyle.

Williams said they have all worked hard and were disciplined in training which was why they were the only swimmers from Gauteng who would compete at the Commonwealth Games.

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