Amanzimtoti teen crowned SA swimming champion
Fifteen-year-old Tristan Janse van Rensburg won two gold medals and one silver medal at the national swimming championships.
TRISTAN Janse van Rensburg (15) of Amanzimtoti was crowned the South African swimming champion in his category at the recent junior nationals held at the Kings Park Swimming Pool.
He went up against swimmers from all across the country as well as from neighbouring countries. He won gold for the 50m butterfly in a time of 26:06 and gold for the 100m butterfly in a time of 58:06, in the 15-year-old age group. He also got a silver medal for the 50m backstroke.
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“It feels so good being the SA champ. When I looked up to the scoreboard and saw that I had won, I felt a rush of excitement and realised that my dream had finally come true,” he said.
Tristan added that the training leading up to nationals was physically and mentally draining, but with the help of his coach, Alisdair Hatfield, he managed to come out on top. “It was definitely worth it,” he said.
A statement by his school, Durban High School, read, “This means Tristan is the fastest U16 butterfly swimmer in the country. We are incredibly proud of this phenomenal achievement of yours, and we have no doubt that this is only the beginning of many more to come.”
The Grade 10 learner trains every day except Sundays. “When I’m not swimming, I like to cycle with my dad, and I always enjoy a few rounds of table tennis. I don’t have a lot of free time outside of the pool, so when I do, I try to use it wisely,” he said.
It is now the end of the swimming season, however, a new season starts in June. Tristan said the next gala will only be held in July, and he is really looking forward to the short-course nationals which will be held in August.
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