A staff of 20 swimmers will lead South Africa’s medal charge as they head to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games which start on Thursday, 28 July.
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Spearheading the problem will probably be Olympic gold and silver medallist and world record-holder Tatjana Schoenmaker, who will probably be trying to defend each her 100m and 200m breaststroke titles in Birmingham, and the man who already has an unimaginable 17 medals from three Commonwealth Games to date, Chad le Clos.
Le Clos is trying to break the file for the most medals gained by a single athlete in Commonwealth Games historical past – with only one extra medal wanted to tie the file with shooters Phillip Adams and Mick Gault and two wanted to break it.
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At the final 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 additionally added three silvers and three bronzes to the general South African haul.
Le Clos claimed three golds and a silver in addition to a bronze in the 4x100m medley relay whereas Schoenmaker walked away with two golds.
Le Clos withdrew from the World Championships in Budapest lately with respiration issues however maintains he’s again on observe.
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“It took me a while to get back but I’ve been working hard in my training,” he stated from his base in Plymouth in the UK.
“I’ve really taken this year very seriously, I’ve been working on a lot of different aspects of my game in order to get myself ready for Commonwealths so this has always been the focus for me.”
Now 30-years-old, Le Clos will probably be competing in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly in addition to the 100m freestyle and believes the South African males may also do one thing particular in the 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays.
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“Medals in the relays for us should be celebrated like gold medals so I’m very excited about that,” he stated.
“I’m checking up on the boys quite often, messaging them all privately just to see how training has been going… I think we can surprise a lot of people. I think if we all just do our jobs and all have a good week and we put ourselves in a spot where we’re competitive, I think that would be amazing.”
There are quite a lot of kids on the staff who will probably be trying to comply with in Le Clos and Schoenmaker’s footsteps, together with the likes of Lara van Niekerk (who lately claimed bronze in the 50m breaststroke at the World Championships in Budapest) and teenage Olympians Matt Sates and Pieter Coetzé.
“It’s a big Commonwealth Games for a lot of people,” stated Le Clos.
“Not only myself but we have a lot of youngsters coming through. Of course, Lara picking up a medal in the 50 was amazing at world champs. Matthew’s had a phenomenal year and a half, Pieter has had a great season. And of course, Tatjana – she’s a superstar and of course she’s got titles to defend so I think it’s a huge week for us as South African swimming,” added Le Clos.
Van Niekerk, 19, reckoned: “It has been a busy time since Worlds catching up on faculty work and exams, however coaching has been going nicely, and fortuitously I’ve had the health club to practice in when it will get actually chilly right 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,” she added.
Sates, who struggled with a chilly simply earlier than the World Championships, stated: “I’ve been in the UK since World Champs making ready for the Commonwealth Games, and I’m proud of how preparations have been going. It took a number of days to get better absolutely after being sick throughout Worlds, however now I’m now feeling good.
“I am still deciding on what events I will swim but will focus on the freestyle and individual medley races. This will be my first Commonwealth Games and so I just want to focus on doing my best, and on enjoying racing with the top swimmers again. It is always an honour to represent Team SA.”
There are additionally three disabled swimmers collaborating in the Para swimming occasions in Birmingham. Christian Sadie claimed silver in 2018 in the S7 50m freestyle and will probably be searching for a return to the podium, whereas Cornell Leach and Alani Ferreira will probably be aiming to do the similar in the ladies’s occasions.
“I am getting more and more excited by the minute for the Games,” stated Ferreira.
“This is my first Commonwealth Games so I’m very excited to be given the alternative to race. There usually aren’t any races for the visually impaired. This is the first time inside my profession that there are, and the solely race is the 50m freestyle which isn’t my fundamental race. It’s really usually not even in my race schedule however I’m very excited to have taken this one on for the time being and to give it my finest shot.
“The preparation has been interesting because it’s not my normal distance training for my 200 free and 100 breast and 200 IM so I’ve really enjoyed a bit of a change in the process and I’m so excited to see how I do in this race and just to go and represent.”
The swimming programme kicks off on Friday, 29 July and runs till Wednesday, 3 August.
SA swimming staff 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