CGA championships make a splash in Edenvale
Central Gauteng Aquatics clubs converge at Edenvale High School for the Short Course Championships over the weekend.
The Central Gauteng Aquatics (CGA) Short Course Championships for 2026 took place at Edenvale High School, with CGA chairperson Yusuf Moola confirming that the event on September 5 and 6 was the senior short-course championships.
Moola explained that CGA has two types of championships: a short-course championship swum in a 25m facility, and a long-course championship held later in the season during summer. He added that the annual event was the culmination of hosted winter galas to determine swimmer performance over the short-course season.
Coach Warren Deyzel said the main objective in hosting the championships is to try to improve and promote district-level swimming. Deyzel said they want to build from the bottom up, working with CGA, and noted that the Edenvale facility can accommodate large numbers.
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He added that the championships provided a good opportunity for swimmers to gauge their performance before advancing to the South African National Short-Course Nationals, using the event as a training wall.
Moola said all 28 clubs within Central Gauteng Aquatics were competing that weekend, though not all compete at this specific level. He noted that the competition pits clubs against each other to gauge season performance.
At the end of the weekend, awards were presented for the best senior male, the best senior female, and two club awards.
Moola revealed that two seasons ago, the championships were renamed after district stalwart Steve Haupt, a coach who took the district to great heights before passing away. In recognition of his dedication and commitment, the short-course championships were named in his honour.
Moola thanked Edenvale High School and host club Dragon’s Swimming Club for making the venue available. He admitted facilities are a major issue across the province and thanked clubs and schools for their partnerships.
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Echoing those sentiments, Deyzel acknowledged the school for being accommodating and for its swimming programme, which influenced their decision to partner with the venue. Because it was a short-course season, Deyzel said they were doing a slightly shorter cycle focused on speed and power.
