Sasha-lee: SA’S Supergirl
Hard work and an inspirational mother the keys to Nordengen-corris’ rise to the top
The General Tire Lifesaving South Africa National Championships take place in Port Elizabeth in the last week of March. Mark Keohane, in a build-up series of articles, focuses on the athletes expected to dominate.
Marine’s Sasha-lee Nordengen-corris, at the relatively tender age of 21, captained Team South Africa’s women at lifesaving’s World Championships in Adelaide, Australia.
Nordengen-corris was also was part of the brilliant Marine women who absolutely smashed all opposition at the 2018 South African national championships and also inspired the KZN women’s performance at the interprovincials. She was also competitive and impressive at last year’s World Championship in Australia.
Nordengen-corris will be among the main attractions at this year’s South African premier lifesaving event in Port Elizabeth.
In an interview with the Sunday Tribune, Nordengen-corris said captaining South Africa in Australia at the World Championships has been her career highlight. We asked her what her preparation and training have been for this year’s South African nationals. “Swimming, board, gym, running and iron sessions,” was her reply.
Nordengen-corris says the biggest difference between the World Championships and the General Tire LSA Championships is the diversity and quality of competition, but this in no way makes it any easier to be successful locally. “We’ve been very fortunate in the past to have such a worldclass women’s team that competes out of Marine. Last year we enjoyed an incredible national championship and each one of the team got reward in podium results.”
Nordengen-corris lists Camps Bay as her favourite local venue and Montpellier in France as the most enticing of international venues. She says Port Elizabeth’s King’s Beach has its unique challenges but is a firm favourite of the combined pool and surf seven-day extravaganza that includes nippers, juniors, seniors and masters.
In 2018, 1 669 competitors from 41 national clubs competed in 528 events over an eight-day period.
Nordengen-corris attributes her success to the mentorship of her mother. “She inspires me. She was a South African rower in her twenties and she’s taught me to persevere no matter the circumstance. It is thanks to her that I have accomplished everything I have. I’ve have watched her since I was a little girl and I have picked up on attributes which make an average athlete become a professional world class athlete.”
3rd in the Surf swim at the Sanyo Bussan Cup 2018
2nd in the Surf swim at the Sanyo Bussan Cup 2017
Captain of the SA Team that travelled to The General Tire LSA Nationals take place between March 24 and 30.