National swimming champ Dakota Tucker aims to take it to the next level
PRAEGVILLE – National swimming champion aims for Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
National 400m individual medley champion, Dakota Tucker (16) is looking to qualify for the next Commonwealth and Olympic games.
The Parkhurst Grade 11 learner trains through Waterborn Swimming Club at a prominent gym in Praegville.
She spends time in the pool every day and her determination and love for swimming have paid off, as the youngster beat swimmers older than her to take the national crown.
Dakota has represented South Africa before at the 2019 Cana Junior African Swimming Championships in Tunisia and aims do so again at the African Games in 2023.
She won her event at the last nationals, which was also a qualifier for the Olympic Games and Junior Worlds.
Unfortunately, her time was not quite fast enough to get into the Tokyo Olympics, and Junior Worlds was cancelled because of Covid-19.
“I would like to qualify for the Olympics in Paris 2024 – it is a goal for me. Then it’s the Commonwealth Games next year,” the youngster told Randburg Sun between lengths of breaststroke.
“There is nothing I don’t enjoy about swimming. I love the team aspect and I train every day so I can see my friends. I love racing – I am a competitive person.”
Next up for Dakota is the South African National Short-Course Swimming Championships in Pietermaritzburg in October.
There, Dakota aims to prove she is still the best in the country.
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