LAST year’s Lifesaving World Championships (LWC) in Adelaide (Australia) was a huge eye opener for Durban North’s Kristin Bellingan.

The Marine Surf Lifesaving Club member was part of the South African senior team at the world champs and said the experience down under was incredible.

“I love Australia and getting to see a new part of the country was great. For me the whole experience down under was incredible, the world champs was a huge eye opener for me. Lining up next to top athletes and world champions was incredibly humbling. I think to reach that level you need to focus your energies entirely on that sport.

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“Though I didn’t win any medals I felt I pushed myself to new extremes. Just before the competition Adelaide was hit by severe storms so the water conditions were very rough and a lot of my events took place on one day which was incredibly challenging. By the time I did my last race, the surf swim, I was freezing and I finished a disappointing 15th,” she said.

Overall, Team South Africa (open and youth) finished sixth overall in the combined pool and surf competitions at the lifesaving world champs.

Bellingan stayed on at the world champs for the inter-club competition and was part of the Marine team who won bronze in the 4×50 metres mixed relay.

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The Varsity College student has now put lifesaving on hold in the hopes of qualifying for the SA swimming team for the Olympics 2020,

“This isn’t goodbye to the sport, I’m still involved with the lifesaving club. I would just like to focus on my swimming. I recently took part in a Grand Prix event and I was really happy with my times. It gave me a good indication of where I need to be ahead of the SA senior nationals in early April,” she said.

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