Donor comes to Kaylene’s aid

PEARSON High’s Kaylene Corbett will compete at the Fina World Championships in Canada next month, thanks to a timely intervention by a sponsor.

Cape Town company Counterpoint Asset Management has helped to make Kaylene’s trip to Windsor, Ontario, for the December 3 to 5 championship, possible by assisting her with R15 000.

Kaylene said she was thrilled she would be able to represent South Africa and Port Elizabeth.

“I feel very honoured. I think that it’s really nice to know that there are people out there who really want to support you and who notice a small sport like swimming,” Kaylene said.

“It’s hard knowing that sports like rugby are always fully supported.”

Her journey to the World Championships began at the SA Short-course Nationals in August, where she qualified for the global tournament.

“Breaststroke is my best, and I will be swimming the 50m, 100m, 150m, 200m events,” Kaylene said.

She was unlucky to miss a spot to the Rio 2016 Olympics, when she fell just short of qualifying at the SA Nationals in April.

Counterpoint Asset Management executive portfolio manager Sam Houlie said the firm had heard Kaylene’s story on radio.

“We heard about Kaylene after she qualified for the World Championships, and very few South Africans qualify for that – and very few women,” Houlie said.

Chief executive Chris Stanforth said: “We were touched when we heard Corbett’s story on radio.

“Great talent is not enough to compete on the global stage. Athletes in other competing nations have endless resources, coaches, support staff and facilities to ensure their success,” he said.

“It is absolutely critical that Kaylene competes in events such as the Fina World Championships so she can benchmark herself against the best in the world.”