Swimmers wrap up a great season
The youngsters improved on their personal best times.
BLUE Ocean Aquatics had the following swimmers take part in the recent regional level 1 championship in Durban, namely Mbali Burnett, Milla Drakopoulos, Liandie du Toit, Kayla Heydricks, Olivia Hulley, Nelzaan Strydom and Tayne Rudling.
The swimmers competed against teams from the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Mozambique and Zambia.
Kayla Heydricks won gold in the girls’ 13 year old 100m backstroke and Mbali Burnett came third in the girls’ 10 years 50m freestyle.
Swimmers compete in the morning in heats to be able to qualify in the top 10 to enter the finals in the evening and Mbali Burnett, Tayne Rudling, Milla Drakopoulos, Kayla Heydricks, Nelzaan Strydom and Olivia Hulley all made finals in one or more event.
Nelzaan swam finals in six of her seven events. Tayne swam in all the finals. Olivia swam an awesome 100m breaststroke and did a level 2 qualifying time which means she moves up a level next season.
All in all, the entire event was great, with fantastic swims.
Blue Ocean Aquatics finished 27th out of 50 clubs, with a grand total of 126 points.
Level 2 regionals took place outside of the level 1 but at the same time.
Clubs from Mpumalanga, Free State, KZN, Mozambique and Zambia where represented.
Blue Ocean Aquatics swimmers did very well by bringing home five gold medals, two silver and three bronze medals, and having swimmers make 23 finals.
The medal winners were Keytin Vorster (four gold medals and making a level 3 qualifying time), Janine Oosthuizen (two gold, two silver and a bronze), Carla Kretzschmar (bronze in the 200m backstroke and five finals) and Ricardo Carthew (bronze in the 400m freestyle).
Ricardo bettered his times by 46.16 seconds in the six events he swam in, which at this level is an achievement.
Carla improved by 49.54 seconds. Keytin improved on his times by 32.01 seconds.
Emma Kuhn swam personal best times in five events, improving by 38.45 seconds.
It was a great meet with fast times. Coach Mandy Koegelenberg couldn’t have asked for more.
The club placed 16th out of 42 clubs for the regional level 2 meet.
The club is now looking forward to the senior nationals/Olympic trials for Samantha Labuschagne.
Michelle Kretzschmar will also be competing in youth nationals the same week in the backstroke events.
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