Teenage DUO TAKE GOLD AT SA CHAMPS
Durban athletes marshal huge pack at Kings Beach
DURBAN Surf’s teenage duo of Tannah Smith (under 13) and Tatum Botha (under 14) lived up to their billing as among the best female nippers in the country with outstanding performances on the first day of the General Tire Lifesaving South Africa National Championships at Kings Beach.
Tatum’s father, Dylan, is an iconic figure in South African Lifesaving, having represented Team South Africa on three occasions and twice been a national champion.
He has also, for the past decade, been one of the most influential coaches among the juniors.
Much is expected of Tatum and brother Connor, who is rated as one of the country’s leading 16-year-olds.
Neither disappointed and, while Connor was impressing in the Stillwater National Championships in Newton Park, his sister claimed the first family final’s victory of the week.
Tatum claimed the gold in the U14 Run/Swim/Run and Tannah took the honours in the U13 Run/Swim/Run.
Close to 2 000 competitors are in Port Elizabeth this week for the biggest ever lifesaving competitive extravaganza, which started with the Masters Pool and Surf competition over the weekend.
The championships include more than 500 category races and finish on Saturday, after which the South African national squad will be named to compete in the World Championships in Australia later this year.
Port Elizabeth favourite Daniel Jones, who was part of South Africa’s Lifesaving Surf squad in New Zealand last year, is another competing in the respective Stillwater and Surf Championships.
He was prominent in the heats on day one.
Others to impress in the pool included Tuks’s Richard Peach, Ally Chislett (Pirates), Travis Misdorp (Pirates) and East London’s Joshua Fenn.
The Fenns, another celebrated lifesaving family success story, also had reason to celebrate with Jordan Fenn’s victory in the U13 Run/Swim/Run.
Clifton’s Noar Lombard won the U14 Run/Swim/Run.
Other winners included Fish Hoek’s Leah Winter in the female U13 Beach Run, Matthew van Coller (Plett) in the male U13 Beach Run and Kings Beach’s Joshua Voigt in the U14 Beach Run.