Swimmers complete first Grand Prix of 2019
They also attended a training camp in Nelspruit
Five Aquatic Academy swimmers had a whole new world opened to them thanks to Dean Price, who invited them to join the annual Nelspruit training camp the first week in January.
Kyle McKenzie, Clayton Malaza, Bernelee Doster, Tambai Dutiro and Annebel van Wyk attended. Over 100 swimmers, split into three groups, were accommodated and trained.
This camp allows swimmers to watch and learn from some of South Africa’s top swimmers such as Ayrton Sweeney, Douglas Erasmus and Erin Gallagher.
After two training sessions a day, ice baths and strange beds the swimmers needed to learn how to set their focus on the first Grand Prix of 2019.
Only two age groups competed, 13 and under and 14 and over and the gala was held in two sessions.
Annebel van Wyk (11) was the swimmer who improved the most. In her seven events she swam personal best times in all, achieving two third positions and two fourth places.
Bernelee Doster (14) swam another SAJN qualifying time in the 200m backstroke in a time of 2:34:60. Her seven events included six personal best times and several top six places.
Kyle McKenzie (18) swam one personal best time and managed mostly top eight positions within youth times, with a fourth place in the 400m individual medley.
Clayton Malaza (17) swam a brilliant 100m breaststroke for a personal best time of 1:12.33. Kyle and Clayton won seventh and eighth places.
Tambai Dutiro (14) tried hard but was a little overwhelmed. He managed to swim within one second of most of his personal best times.
