Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Yanga Sibembe
Published on 2024-02-23 11:39:15
South Africa’s swimmers recently received a wake-up call at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The Championships, held between 2 – 18 February, saw South Africa’s swimmers struggle and only secure one medal, a 200m bronze in the backstroke event by 19-year-old Pieter Coetzé. Despite some near-misses and mixed results, the South African team faced challenges in the competition.
Looking ahead to the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to start on 26 July, there were some positives to take away from the Championships. Erin Gallagher broke her own 100m butterfly record, making her first-ever World Champs final appearance. Tayla Jonker set a new South African record in the 50m backstroke, coming in fourth overall. However, other swimmers like Matt Sates, Lara van Niekerk, and the veteran Chad le Clos struggled to perform at their usual level.
Tatjana Schoenmaker, one of South Africa’s defending champions, chose not to participate in this year’s Championships. She made history in the 2023 Championships by winning a gold medal in the 200m breaststroke event. Despite missing key swimmers, South Africa gained valuable experience from competing in Doha and observed the high level of competition.
The Championships were held in an Olympic year due to scheduling changes caused by Covid-19, leading to clashes with the Games. This unusual timing added uncertainty for the swimmers about their performance ahead of the Olympics in July. Pieter Coetzé acknowledged the unique challenges of competing in an unfamiliar season and emphasized the need for the team to adapt and peak at the right time for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
Van Niekerk pointed out the competitive experience gained in Doha and the importance of assessing the competition level. Now, the South African swimmers will focus on regrouping and preparing for the upcoming SA National Aquatics Championships from 8-13 April in Gqeberha. This event will provide another opportunity for swimmers to secure their places for Olympic qualification.
With the understanding that the Olympics will present a different challenge compared to the recent Championships, the South African swimmers are determined to put in the necessary work and adjustments to achieve success in Paris. The team will use the setbacks from Doha as motivation to improve and strive for better results in the future competitions.
In conclusion, the World Aquatics Championships served as a learning experience for South Africa’s swimmers, highlighting areas for growth and improvement before the Olympic Games. Despite the challenges faced, the team remains optimistic and determined to make a strong showing in Paris later this year.
Read the original article on Daily Maverick
