LAST year’s Commonwealth Stillwater Lifesaving Champs was a massive eye-opener for Durban North’s Kristin Bellingan. The 20-year-old said she got to experience a higher level of competition which would stand her in good stead for the upcoming Lifesaving World Championships (LWC) in Adelaide (Australia).

The Marine Surf Lifesaving Club member is part of the South African senior team for the world champs.

Bellingan has previously represented South Africa at a junior level in lifesaving competing in the world champs in Holland two years ago.

“I think last year’s Commenwealth Stillwater champs showed me how competitive the senior level was. It’s a massive step-up from the junior level and a lot of the competitors are more professional. Having said that, I do feel the South African team, both juniors and seniors, are going into the competition as massive underdogs. I feel the other countries have underestimated us which could work in our favour,” she said.

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Bellingan said she has been working hard both mentally and physically to be at the top of her games after representing South Africa at the Commonwealth Games this year.

“I’m in a good place at the moment. It’s been an up and down year for me. My confidence took quite a knock at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and it took me a while to come back from that. I feel I’m stronger now and it’s also down to my coach, Russell Sadler, who has completely transformed my lifesaving career,” she enthused.

Bellingan will be competing in both the stillwater and surf events at the champs and said she is going into the competition with an open mind.

“I think I put so much pressure on myself at the Commonwealth Games that I really got caught up in the events I didn’t do well in. For me what is key is going into the competition with an open mind and doing the best I can,” she said.

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