<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Determined SA team gear up for World Aquatics Championships in Japan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thursday, 13 July 2023 \u2013 South Africa have selected a strong team of divers, artistic swimmers, water polo players and open water and pool swimmers to take part in World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan from 14-30 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Training through the country\u2019s winter months hasn\u2019t been easy for many of them, particularly the divers. As Zalika Methula explained: \u201cNormally we don\u2019t train in the pool during winter because it\u2019s too cold but because of world champs we\u2019ve been training in the water on the weekends, which is really tough because your body is cold and so your muscles don\u2019t tend to work as much as they would do when it\u2019s warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRegardless of how tough this might be, I know that representing my country at international competitions has been one of my biggest goals and so I have to keep staying positive because in the back of my mind, I know that I\u2019ve been through the toughest of times which is paving the way for greater things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Methula will be competing alongside Bailey Heydra in the 3m synchronised event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also thrilled to be heading to Fukuoka is Olympian Julia Vincent, who will be competing in the 1m and 3m springboard events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am so excited to be going to Japan this year\u2026 especially with this new team that\u2019s going. I\u2019m really excited for the different dynamic to all my other world champs that I\u2019ve been a part of \u2013 with these new faces. These kids are the future of the sport in South Africa so I\u2019m very excited to see how they do and hopefully to try and lead them and help them feel comfortable on what can be a very nerve-wracking stage,\u201d said Vincent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy training has been going well. It\u2019s exactly where I want it to be right now so I\u2019m hoping that I can get on that stage and showcase what I\u2019ve been working on and just make the country proud.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The diving competition in Fukuoka runs from 14 to 22 July while the country\u2019s open water swimmers will be competing from 15-20 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OPEN WATER SWIMMING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amica de Jager recently claimed gold in the 5km swim at the African Beach Games in Tunisia and said: \u201cIt was absolutely incredible! It shows that all the hard work I’ve been putting in is paying off. I’m on the right track.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for competing at her second world championships, the Tuks swimmer added: \u201cI’m very excited. I think last year was a lot of nerves because everything was new and unexpected\u2026 I know a little bit more what to expect now. There are still some nerves (there always are) but I think the excitement to race eclipses this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am hoping to swim my best and improve on last year’s results. It would be great if I could stay in contact with the front pack. If you are in that front pack, then anything can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heading the men\u2019s team is Connor Buck, who has also been battling chilly temperatures to prepare for the championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a bit of trouble with our home pool\u2019s heater not working but I\u2019ve managed to push through and it hasn\u2019t affected my training too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLast year in Budapest I made a lot of errors in both races especially the 10km where I was lying about 12th for half the race but missed my feeds which ended up costing me in the heatwave conditions. This year I\u2019m just hoping for better-executed swims in those races which will hopefully lead to better results. I think I would be pretty satisfied with a top-20 finish and elated if I get a top 10.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ARTISTIC SWIMMING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For the country\u2019s artistic swimmers, Fukuoka will be a learning experience with new regulations introduced into the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe upcoming World Championships in artistic swimming hold special significance, as they will be the first to incorporate the new rules that have dramatically reshaped the sport’s rankings this season,\u201d said Olympian Laura Strugnell, who will be competing alongside Jessica Hayes-Hill in the women\u2019s duet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a newly formed duet pair, Jessica and I have dedicated the past few months preparing revamped routines since our national competition in April. While we are thrilled to showcase our skills, we also acknowledge that there will be a learning curve for us as we adapt to the new rules. Our ultimate goal is to qualify for Paris 2024, and we are diligently working towards that milestone, with the opportunity to do so in Doha this coming February.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The artistic swimming competition runs from 14-22 July, while the water polo teams will be in action from 16-29 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WATER POLO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thrilled to be making her debut at senior international level is goalkeeper Olufunke Gando.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeading into this tournament, I\u2019m really nervous, purely because this is my very first senior World Aquatics Championships and I\u2019ve only ever dealt with this at a junior level. I\u2019m playing against the best of the best. Just that idea alone scares but also excites me because I am the youngest on the team, being able to play against these other ladies from these other countries at such a young age is so unbelievable for me because I never would have expected it,\u201d said Gando, who has just turned 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The South African women\u2019s team have been grouped with Brazil, Greece and Italy for the pool stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis team has such strong players that are insanely talented and insanely motivational and optimistic,\u201d added Gando. \u201cThis team really pushes hard and I\u2019m so grateful to have had the honour of playing with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Equally confident in his team is men\u2019s captain Lwazi Madi, whose side have been grouped with Montenegro as well as current world champions Spain and Olympic champions Serbia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe team this year is similar to the one that went to Hungary last year for world champs which bodes well for us as the team is balanced with experienced and youthful players. We are hoping to continue our progress as a team as we aim to try and compete against the world\u2019s best. The journey will be difficult, but the team is looking forward to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a team, we believe we have a lot of potential and some of that potential showed when we played in Germany in May. We have the capability to put together some strong performances in this tournament and hopefully we can continue to progress and grow as a team in preparation for an exciting 2024 year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Full SA team at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n SWIMMING <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aimee Canny, Emma Chelius, Milla Drakopoulos, Trinity Hearne, Michael Houlie, Clayton Jimmie, Rebecca Meder, Righardt Muller, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Roland Schoeman, Lara van Niekerk<\/p>\n\n\n\n OPEN WATER SWIMMING <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Joshua Ashley, Kate Beavon, Connor Buck, Matthew Caldwell, Amica de Jager, Tory Earle<\/p>\n\n\n\n DIVING <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bailey Heydra, Zalika Methula, Stefan Steenkamp, Julia Vincent<\/p>\n\n\n\n ARTISTIC SWIMMING <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jessica Hayes Hill, Skye Macdonald, Siphokazi Myende, Laura Strugnell<\/p>\n\n\n\n WOMEN WATER POLO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Olufunke Gando, Shakira January, Nicola MacLeod, Meghan Maartens, Tumi Macdonell, Chloe Meecham, Boati Motau, Hannah Muller, Megan Sileno, Kelsey Thomson, Anna Thornton-Dibb, Ruby Versfeld, Esihle Zondo<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEN WATER POLO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ignardus Badenhorst, Manqoba Bungane, Dylan Cronje, Joshua Faber, Todd Howard, Cameron Laurenson, Lwazi Madi, Gareth May, Chad Roman, Ross Stone, Jonathan Swanepoel, Dane Tucker, Sven van Zyl, Niall Wheeler<\/p>\n\n\n\n ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Please note: A separate swimming preview will be sent ahead of the swimming competition at the World Aquatics Championships which gets under way on Sunday, 23 July.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For further information please contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Swimming South Africa\u2019s Marketing Coordinator<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mmathapelo Phale<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Determined SA team gear up for World Aquatics Championships in Japan Thursday, 13 July 2023 \u2013 South Africa have selected a strong team of divers,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8863,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9049"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9049"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9050,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9049\/revisions\/9050"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}