Africa’s top swimmer on her way to Mexico
Nelspruit Swimming Academy's (NGA) Cristelle Kriel (23) is having a year to remember.
Kriel has been selected to represent South Africa at the World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City this autumn. She posted the qualifying times at the Senior National Championships held at Kingspark, Durban earlier this year.
The S14-class swimmer will be in action in the 100-metre butterfly, 200-metre individual medley and 100-metre backstroke.
She can proudly display the four medals she won in Durban and has her sights firmly set on the world champs.
Kriel was adopted at the age of four and despite facing numerous personal challenges, she has become one of South Africa’s most exciting up-and-coming athletes.
She is Mpumalanga’s Disabled Athlete of the Year and is currently top of the Africa rankings in the 100-metre butterfly, 100-metre backstroke, 100-metre freestyle and the 200-metre freestyle.
“In order for me to represent Swimming South Africa, I need to raise R60 000 for the trip. My brother has created a donation site for anyone willing to sponsor, even if it is a small amount, in order for me to go to Mexico. It will an absolute dream come true as I have trained very hard to eventually qualify,” said Kriel.
She is the only S14 intellectually impaired (II) swimmer from the country to have qualified for championships.
Although she is Africa’s top swimmer, she currently ranks nineteenth (100-metre butterfly), fourteenth (100-metre backstroke), eleventh (100-metre freestyle) and twentieth (200-metre freestyle) in the world.
