Kyle can make merry in the Merrifield Mile – yet again
Holmes eyes third victory on the trot at Wriggleswade
MERRIFIELD Mile defending champion Kyle Holmes will be back this year to attempt a third consecutive win of the 1.6km flagship event at Wriggleswade Dam tomorrow.
Holmes, who won the Merrifield Mile in 2016, made it two in a row last year in a winning time of 21min 44sec – two seconds ahead of runnerup Daniel Jones after a sprint finish.
The 1.6km event is one of four races that make up the 16th Merrifield Mile, powered by feature sponsor Nedbank. In addition to the Mile, swimmers over the age of nine can choose to swim the 500m Dash and the TerraForce 250m for swimmers over the age of eight, and the Spur Fun Splash for children under the age of nine.
“I will be swimming the Mile again,” Holmes confirmed. “I will definitely try my best for another win but one never knows one’s competition until the day. Weather conditions and also how you feel on that day can also affect your ultimate results,” Holmes, who is a member Aquasharks in Cape Town, said.
Winner of the 500m Dash last year, Jones will not be returning this year because he is in Cape Town, and that could mean that second-placed Dash swimmer Alfonso Janse van Rensburg is favourite to win that race.
Janse van Rensburg, a Stirling High School student, will be rushing to participate at the Wriggleswade Dam following the SA Open Water Swim National Championships in Jeffreys Bay today, to compete in the Mile and the Dash.
“I have been swimming the Merrifield Mile events since I was 10 years old,” said Janse van Rensburg.
“It is one of the highlights in my swimming season every year. This year I am going to give my best and hopefully this is enough for a win.”
The clash with the Open Water Champs also means Dash runnerup in the women’s category, Tayla Botha, will be missing in action on March 4, and it is unknown at this stage if last year’s Mile winner Chloe Velde will be back to defend her title.
This could prove a chance for Merrifield student Amy Swart to take a crack at the Women’s Mile title, having come second last year in the Dash. This year she will be competing in the 1.6km event.
“My aim this year is to try and improve my time and to have fun at the same time,” she said. “I absolutely love the Merrifield mile because it is such a fun day that I get to spend with my family and friends.”
Another Merrifield College student, Joshua Emslie, who placed third in the Dash last year, will stand a good chance of placing in the 500m event this year.
The newest addition to the line up of events – the TerraForce 250m – will also be a fast swim for competitive swimmers, and there is prize-money up for grabs, sponsored by Nutriwell, in all events except the Spur Splash.
The 16th Merrifield Mile is a great day out for the whole family, and with four events on the day, swimmers of all levels are catered for. Entries are open and available online at www.merrifieldmile.co.za, at Merrifield Prep School and College, at Sportsmans Warehouse and Cycle HQ. All information related to the event, including overnight camping at the dam, is available on the website.
Merrifield is located on the corner of Bonza Bay Road and the N6 turnoff to Stutterheim. For further details, contact event organiser Tracey Mangold on 043-748-6094. —