Several swimmers from the Carletonville Swimming Club travelled to KwaZulu-Natal to dive into the annual Midmar Mile.

The event, held on February 7 and 8, celebrated its 53rd year at Midmar Dam.

As the world’s largest open-water swimming competition, the event drew more than 12 000 swimmers, ranging from elite athletes to recreational, family, and charity participants, all swimming the 1.6km (one mile) course.

The first day of racing saw several local athletes delivering impressive performances.

Event 1 saw Ijay van der Walt complete the swim in 40:14, finishing 19th out of 37 swimmers. Tuness le Grange, competing for the first time, recorded a time of 46:50. Both athletes successfully earned their special Comrades Biathlon Medal.

In Event 3, Annalisa Freese posted an excellent time of 32:55, securing third place out of 105 swimmers. Carla Louw finished in 32:25, placing 30th out of 160 swimmers. Van der Walt completed the event in 40:06 for 93rd place, while Pieter Steinmann finished in 41:46, ending 178th out of 247 swimmers.

Event 4 again featured strong performances from Freese, who completed the swim in 35:21, finishing 16th out of 135 swimmers in her category. Louw followed closely with a time of 34:46, placing 25th out of 135 participants.

Sunday focused on age-group races.

In Event 5, Freese completed the race in 34:20, finishing 36th out of 211 swimmers.

Event 6 saw Louw finish in 40:45, placing 99th out of 224 swimmers. Carsten Holfelder recorded a time of 37:07 for 65th place out of 180 swimmers, while Steinmann completed the event in 46:21, finishing 82nd out of 101 swimmers. First-time participant Winfrey Nambuya crossed the line in 49:10.

In Event 7, Caitlin Doran finished in 37:02, placing 486th out of 855 swimmers, while Minke Rheeder completed the race in 34:01, securing 350th place. This event marked a special milestone for Rheeder, who proudly achieved her 10th-year Green Number.

“It was a phenomenal swim because of the excellent organisation and how it’s put together. It is just incredible to take part. Well done to each swimmer for being brave enough to take on the world’s largest open-water swimming event. It is physically demanding and character-building, and all did exceptionally well,” Freese said. “Thank you, Winfrey, for your guidance and showing us how it is done, and to our loved ones cheering, clapping, and calling out encouragement, we love you. Our swim was dedicated to belated Gerrie Grove (coach), Michael Cuypers, and Shirene Human,” Freese added.

With its festive atmosphere, live entertainment, and strong community spirit, the aQuellé Midmar Mile has become a beloved tradition that brings together families, friends, and swimming enthusiasts for an unforgettable weekend of sport and camaraderie.