Luca makes a splash in Le Clos’s wake with scholarship
LUCA Holtzhausen’s family could not spot him when he competed in last year’s Midmar Mile.
They did, however, keep hearing organiser Wayne Ridden referring to someone coming in third as an “unidentified swimmer”.
The swimmer’s identification sticker was on the wrong side of his cap and not visible from the commentary boat.
As the third finisher emerged, it was Luca, then 12 years old and competing in the Under 13 race.
Since then, Westville Boys’ High School, and swimming legend Chad le Clos have identified Luca as the latest winner of the scholarship in Le Clos’s name. It is not awarded every year, but only when there is a suitable candidate, said principal Trevor Hall.
“It goes to someone seen to have exceptional achievement in primary school,” he said.
“Swimming is the criterion. It’s for someone who fits Chad’s profile. Luca is the second pupil to receive the Chad le Clos Scholarship, the first having been Reece Kincaid, who started in Grade 8 in 2014.”
Hall said the school would support Luca as it supported other high performance sportsmen in the school.
“This will include granting him leave of absence from academic and extra-curricular activities to allow him to participate in his high-performance training and competitions.
“He will receive additional academic support from teachers to compensate for absences, and the school will tailor the dates of academic assessment tasks, tests and exams to suit his competitive calendar.
“We will also support him in developing inter- and intra-personal skills.”
Luca, in Grade 7 at Westville Senior Primary, is competing in this year’s Midmar Mile.
“He’s not an open water swimmer. He’s a pool swimmer with the Seagulls Swimming Club but he does the Midmar Mile every year,” said Caroline Holtzhausen, his mother.
She said he had been selected to represent South Africa later this year in the annual Cana African Swimming Championships.