Young swimmer makes a splash

The 15-year-old, Gr 9 learner at PEPPS Polokwane has already achieved a lot in the sporting code. He was named the best swimmer at Eagar Aquatics as well at his school in 2019.

He says the gold medal he won at the 2020 Confederation Africaine de Natation (CANA) Zone IV Swimming Championships held at the University of Botswana in February last year, has given him the competitive edge. “I am still young and I want to go far in swimming. I want to share swimming lanes with the likes of Chad le Clos and American swimming champion, Caeleb Remel Dressel. He holds the world records in the 100 m butterfly, 50 m freestyle, and 100 m individual medley. For me that is a great achievement and it is something I would like to emulate.”

Junior is currently in Stellenbosch with the cream of young South African swimmers crop, at the Swimming South Africa’s training camp.

He hopes to be part of the South African junior team that will represent the country at the South African Junior Swimming Championship penciled in for April in Port Elizabeth.

“I arrived here last Friday and I am coming back on Friday (tomorrow). This is a week-long camp and I am hoping to improve my time and obviously be selected for the national championship.”

He says with the support he receives from his parents, his coaches and teammates he can achieve all his goals.

“I am surrounded by good people. My family, friends and loved ones.

I will forever be grateful to my parents. My mother was the one who introduced me to swimming. She noticed that I have a talent for swimming at an early age and she taught me how to swim, and I just want to make them proud.”

His coach and founder of Eagar Aquatics, Douggie Eagar believes Junior has the potential to dominate the swimming stage. “I think he will make it into the South African junior team this year. He has great potential. I believe he has the potential to dominate the swimming scene, and I see him representing South Africa one day in the Olympics.”