Amanzimtoti swimmer makes her presence felt at opening of KZN swimming season
Monica Botha's good fortune did not end with just medals
AMANZIMTOTI swimmer, Monica Botha’s plans to compete in the KZN Premier championships in December in the 11 and under age group were buoyed by her performance at the eThekwini Junior Championships 2018 from 21 to 23 September.
Eleven-year-old Botha made her presence felt at what was the official opening of the KZN swimming season.
Local swimmers convened at Kings Park swimming pool to challenge each other in the pool for both their personal times and the opportunity to qualify for level three in order to secure a lane at KZN Premier Champs scheduled for 15 to 20 December.
Her good fortune did not end with just medals, as she sealed eight gold medals, two silver, two bronze, four meet records, the top 11-year-old female swimmer with a tie in the overall female top points scored, with 108 points.
The National Junior (SANJ) qualifier met up with her North Coast Dolphins team and training partners from Aqua Lifestyle Centre to make waves in the pool. She swam 10 events, although only the 200m freestyle and individual medley (IM) had timed finals.
On Friday, 21 September, Monica secured lane four in the finals during the 50m freestyle and touched second in the 200 IM, breaking the meet record with the gold medalist. Her relay team broke the 2016 200m mixed freestyle relay record of 2:10:63 in a time of 2:08:30.
On Saturday, 22 September the swimmers swam heats in the morning, with the top 10 competing in the finals after 2pm. Monica improved her 100m freestyle SANJ qualifying time of 1:06:29 in the heats with a new time of 1:06:02. She won gold in the finals in a new time of 1:05:51. Monica swam a personal best in the 50 fly during the heats, with gold and another personal best in the finals of 33:79. She claimed bronze in the 100m breaststroke with a gold and personal best in the 50m backstroke (35:54).
The relay team concluded the day’s racing with gold and a meet record in the 10 to 11 200m medley relay in a time of 2:26:78. The 2016 meet record stood at 2:27:76.
On Sunday, 22 September Monica opened the morning session with a KZN meet record in the 200-metre freestyle and confirmed her SANJ time in this event with a time of 2:22:86. The 2016 meet record stood at 2:32:47.
She continued her domination in the pool by winning the 50-metre freestyle, 100m backstroke and touching second in the 100m butterfly, with a bronze in the 50m breaststroke.
