SA’s swimmers can make waves
HILL: I THINK WE’LL HAVE A FAIR NUMBER WHO QUALIFY
Strong team set to fight for medals in Rio Olympics.
National coach Graham Hill is confident South Africa will have a strong team at the Rio Olympics in August, as the country’s elite swimmers prepare to chase qualifying berths at the trials starting in Durban tomorrow.
Swimming earned half of the nation’s six medals at the 2012 London Games, and while they are again expected to play a lead role in the medal charge in Rio, anchored by Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, the size of the squad at last year’s Fina World Championships may have triggered alarm bells.
Only five SA swimmers turned out in the pool at the 2015 global showpiece in Kazan, with no women selected in the team, and though they returned home with four medals, the lack of depth would have been a concern.
Just eight months on, Hill said yesterday there had been significant all-round improvement, and a larger squad was expected to qualify for Rio.
“I think we’ll have a fair number who qualify,” he said.
While the men’s events in Durban were expected to be dominated by Le Clos, Van der Burgh, veteran Roland Schoeman and a few other established competitors, Hill believed a handful of female athletes could lead a resurgence in women’s swimming.
The likes of Tatjana Schoenmaker, Nathania van Niekerk, Jessica Ashley-Cooper, Marne Erasmus, Mariella Venter and Karin Prinsloo were all within reach of Olympic qualifying marks in their respective events.
“There are a number of ladies who are there or thereabouts, and obviously we want as many of them to qualify as possible,” Hill said.
According to domestic criteria, all swimmers hoping to book their places must achieve the required standards at the SA Championships, with no other opportunities available to qualify.
The week-long national championships, to be held at King’s Park Swimming Pool, ends next Saturday.