File pic: Tatjana Schoenmaker
Places in the teams to represent South Africa at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games will be on the line as the country’s best swimmers head to Nelson Mandela Bay for the SA National Swimming Championships from 6-11 April.
Leading the charge will be Olympic champion and world record-holder Tatjana Schoenmaker who will be looking to defend the double gold she won at the last Commonwealth Games in 2018.
“I’m very excited. It’s been a bit more tough than other years, just in the sense of getting back into things since everything has changed,” said Schoenmaker, whose life changed dramatically after claiming gold and silver at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Also lining up in Gqeberha will be four-time Olympic medalist Chad le Clos, who is battling his way back from illness – having spent time in hospital earlier in the year with Bronchitis.
Le Clos has set his sights on becoming the most decorated athlete of all time at the Commonwealth Games.
“I’ll hopefully qualify for a couple of races and then my goal is to become the most successful Commonwealth Games athlete in history come July," he said.
Also looking to make a splash once again this year is rising star Matt Sates, who has returned to South Africa for the National Championships from the USA where he's set the college circuit ablaze for the University of Georgia.
Having represented South Africa at the Olympics last year, 18-year-old Sates will be gunning for a first appearance at both the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
