CHEERS echoed off the pool walls as South Africa’s brightest young swimmers dived into three days of fierce competition at the Curro AquaElite Gala at Curro Hillcrest’s Olympic-size heated pool October 3-5. The event, hosted in partnership with Aquazone Swimming Club, brought together elite swimmers from across the country for a celebration of talent, teamwork, and dreams of Olympic glory.

Now in its third year, the Curro AquaElite Gala has become a flagship event on the national schools’ swimming calendar, providing young athletes with a professional platform to compete and earn valuable world aquatic points.

Over three days local primary and high school athletes – with strong contingents from KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Western Cape, and Gauteng – competed in three age groups: 13 and under, 14-15 years, and 16-19 years. They battled for individual and team awards while accumulating world aquatic points, which are important for creating high-performance teams capable of competing at international events.

Across the country, 368 swimmers competed at this year’s gala, with six Curro schools contributing nearly 40% of the field: Curro Hillcrest, Curro Hazeldean, Curro Durbanville, HeronBridge College, Curro Thatchfield, and Curro Bloemfontein, reflecting the strong pipeline of talent emerging from South African schools.

As the final day drew to a close, the atmosphere was one of excitement and pride. From nail-biting finishes to record-breaking times, the event displayed not only individual brilliance but also the strength of school-level swimming in South Africa.

“The standard of swimming at all levels is something to be proud of, and somewhere among all the competitors could be a future Olympic champion,” said Curro sports portfolio manager Cindy van der Merwe. “These swimmers, young as some may be, rise to the occasion and are not daunted by the big stage they are performing on. The support, camaraderie and friendships that surround the event make it special and the ideal platform for these boys and girls to take their talents further.”

With a goal to inspire swimmers to compete at a professional level, Curro continues to keep the hopes and dreams of Olympic representation alive for many young athletes.

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Once the water had settled, it was Curro Hazeldean’s Tiaan Geldenhuys and Herschel’s Cassidy Burgess who claimed the Best Performance trophies for male and female swimmers respectively, demonstrating exceptional skill and determination throughout the competition. The Best Performance awards were determined based on World Aquatics points.

The gala also celebrated top points-scorers across all age categories, with standout performances from swimmers who displayed remarkable talent and competitive spirit.

In the team awards, Glenwood Preparatory School dominated the primary school categories, securing both the Best Boys’ Primary School Team and Best Co-Ed Primary School trophies. Meisieskool Oranje proved their strength by winning the Best Girls’ Team award in both primary and high school divisions.

Grey College claimed the Best Boys’ High School Team trophy, while Northcliff High School took home the Best Co-Ed High School award. In a special recognition of team culture and enthusiasm, the Team Spirit Award was presented to Hoërskool Sentraal.

The highly competitive Skins events provided thrilling finishes, with Philip le Roux from Hoërskool Sentraal taking the male title, followed by Cameron Harvey (Curro Hillcrest), JC Coetzer (Grey College), and Juan Calitz (Grey College).

In the female Skins event, Annebel Stewart from Curro Hillcrest claimed first place, with Gizelle Maritz (HeronBridge College), Cassidy Burgess (Herschel Girls School), and Leah Markgraaff (HeronBridge College) rounding out the top four.

“With this year’s event setting new standards of excellence, the Curro AquaElite Gala continues to grow as a nurturing ground for South Africa’s next generation of swimming champions,” concluded Van der Merwe.

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