No new records were set, but several swimmers came close to existing age-group bests at the first Bank Windhoek Long Course Gala of the season over the weekend.
The gala took place simultaneously at the Olympia Pool in Windhoek, at the Sand Sharks Swimming Pool at Oranjemund and at the Water Cube at Swakopmund.
At the Olympia pool, several swimmers put in promising performances in the opening gala, which bodes well for the rest of the season.
Roze van Wyk of Marlins Swimming Club won a remarkable eight gold medals in the girls 11-12 year category and came within reach of two national age group records.
She won the 50m breastroke in 39.10 seconds, which was close to Gwen Currie’s age group record of 37.60; while she won the 200m butterfly in 2:47.35, which was just over two seconds outside Heleni Stergiadis’ record of 2:45.26 which was established 10 years ago.
In the girls 15-16 year category, Vitoria de Sousa of Dolphins Swimming Club won six gold medals and came close to two national records.
She won the 50m freestyle in 28.63 seconds which was close to Christine Briedenhann’s age group record of 27.25 set in 2012; while she won the 100m freestyle in 1:00.62, coming within touching distance of Christine Briedenhann’s age group record of 58.53 set in 2012.
In the girls 17-18 year category, Jessica Humphrey of Aqua Swimming and Fitness Club came close to two long-standing records held by former Namibian Olympian Monica Dahl.
She won the 50m freestyle in 27.94 seconds, which was within a second of Dahl’s age group record of 26.95, while she won the 100m freestyle in 1:00.35, which was not too far off Dahl’s age group record of 58.47.
Humphrey also came within a second of Toni Roth’s 200m individual medley record of 2:26.88 set in 2015, with a winning time of 2:27.59.
In the boys 15-16 year category, Nathan Bock of Aqua Swimming and Fitness Club won four gold medals, coming close to two national age group records.
He won the 50m breaststroke in 31.07 seconds, which was within touching distance of Jose Canjulo’s record of 30.14 set in 2021; while he won the 50m freestyle in 25.38 seconds, to set his sights on Luke Beukes’ age group record of 23.78. In the same race, Bock’s teammate, Rodney Feris, also gave a fine performance, coming second in 25.42.
Bock and Feris once again pushed each other to fine performances in the 100m freestyle, with Bock winning gold in 55.49 seconds and Feris silver in 55.93, and both now have Oliver Durand’s age group record of 53.03 seconds in their sights.
There were also good performances by Riley Bergh of Aqua Swimming and Fitness Club, who won six gold medals in the boys 13-14 category; Dave Duque of Aqua Swimming and Fitness Club, who won six gold medals in the Men’s Masters category; Joelle Oudsthoorn of Dolphins who won five gold medals in the girls 9-10 year category; Ainoa Naukosho of Dolphins who won five gold medals in the girls 13-14 year category; and Canjulo of Dolphins who won five gold medals in the Men’s Open category.
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