SA swimmers ready to lead the medal charge in Birmingham
Several swimmers from Pretoria are among the group of 20 who are part of the South African Commonwealth Games team and it is believed that the swimmers stand a good chance of winning the most medals for Team SA again at this event.
A team of 20 swimmers will lead the medal charge as they head to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games which begin on Thursday, 28 July.
More than a quarter of this team are swimmers from Pretoria.
Spearheading the challenge will be Olympic gold and silver medallist and world record-holder Tatjana Schoenmaker, who will be looking to defend both her 100m and 200m breaststroke titles in Birmingham, and the man who already has an incredible 17 medals from three Commonwealth Games so far, Chad le Clos.
Le Clos is looking to break the record for the most medals won by a single athlete in Commonwealth Games history – with just one more medal needed to tie the record with shooters Phillip Adams and Mick Gault and two needed to break it.
At the last Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia in 2018, swimming was the sport that produced the most gold medals for Team South Africa with six. They also added three silvers and three bronzes to the overall South African haul.
Le Clos claimed three golds and a silver as well as a bronze in the 4x100m medley relay while Schoenmaker walked away with two golds.
Le Clos withdrew from the World Championships in Budapest recently with breathing problems but maintains he’s back on track.
Now 30 years old, Le Clos will be competing in the 50, 100 and 200m butterfly as well as the 100m freestyle and believes the South African men can also do something special in the 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays.
There are a number of youngsters on the team who will be looking to follow in Le Clos and Schoenmaker’s footsteps, including the likes of Lara van Niekerk (who recently claimed bronze in the 50m breaststroke at the World Championships in Budapest) and teenage Olympians Matt Sates and Pieter Coetzé.
“It has been a busy time since Worlds catching up on school work and exams, but training has been going well, and luckily I have had the gym to train in when it gets really cold here in Pretoria. I am looking forward to being part of Team SA, and as I did for Worlds. I just want to focus on my own race and on really enjoying the whole experience of being at a big Games,” said the 19-year old Van Niekerk before the team’s departure.
There are also three disabled swimmers taking part in the Para swimming events in Birmingham. Christian Sadie claimed silver in 2018 in the S7 50m freestyle and will be looking for a return to the podium, while Cornell Leach and Alani Ferreira will be aiming to do the same in the women’s events.
The swimming programme kicks off on Friday, 29 July and runs until 3 August.
SA Swimming team at the Commonwealth Games 2022:
Men: Guy Brooks, Pieter Coetze, Brenden Crawford, Michael Houlie, Chad Le Clos, Andrew Ross, Matthew Sates
Women: Aimee Canny, Emma Chelius, Dune Coetzee, Kaylene Corbett, Erin Gallagher, Rebecca Meder, Olivia Nel, Michaela Pulford, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Lara van Niekerk
Men’s Para: Christian Sadie
Women’s Para: Alani Ferreira, Cornelle Leach
Coaches: Rocco Meiring, Wayne Riddin, Eugene Da Ponte, Theo Verster
Manager: Julie Cassim
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