Christine aims for a spot at senior swimming champs

Local swimmer, Christine Sabombite has been selected to represent the province at a Swimming South Africa training camp in Stellenbosch from 13 to 28 February.

The 17-year-old, Gr 12 PEPPS learner, says her selection is exciting. “I am looking forward to the event. It will be my first major qualifying event and I want to do well. I have been working hard with my coach, Douggie Eagar, and I want to make everybody proud. My aim is to excel to the Senior National Championship but in order to do that, I have to work hard and attain the qualifying times.” Best performing swimmers at the event will represent their respective provinces at the Senior National Championship scheduled for Durban in April.

Vice President of Limpopo Swimming Aquatics, Rob Anderson, said Christine is capable of making it to the Senior National Championships. “She has already qualified for the junior national, which is fantastic. She is on the right track and we are proud of her. He mentioned that she is one of the best swimmers in the province and she has been doing well at local events. We are hopeful that she will do well at the swimming camp.”

Christine says she draws inspiration from 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medalist, Penny Heyns, who won both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events, making her South Africa’s first Olympic gold medalist following the country’s readmission to the games in 1992.

“I wasn’t even born when she won the gold medal in Atlanta, but I have done research on her and she is the best swimmer the country has ever produced. I want to follow in her footsteps. I love her breaststroke events and I just want to breaststroke like her.”