The swimmers of the TuksSport High School certainly made their presence felt during the South African National Junior Age Group Championships in Durban.
Not only did they win the overall team competition but James Freeman and Christin Mundell both managed to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (6-18 October).
The 16-year-old Freeman won gold medals in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events. His winning times in the 800m (8.14:74) and 1500m (15.47:71) are national age group records while he qualified for the Games in the 200m and 800m.
Freeman who is from Botswana thinks he might have made swimming history by becoming the first swimmer of his country to qualify for any Games by swimming the A-standard. Last year he won a bronze medal in the 1500m at the Youth Commonwealth Games and made the final in the 400m-final.
He considers Michael Phelps (USA) who won eight at the 2008 Olympic Games as a role model.
“What I admire about him is that in the five years preceding the Games he never missed one day of training. It proves that to be successful is all about hard work and discipline. To be a real champion will never be just about talent, but talent helps.”
Mundell won six gold medals (50m-breaststroke, 100m-breaststroke, 200m-breaststroke, 200m-freestyle, 400m-freestyle and 200m individual medley) qualifying in all six events for the Youth Games.
Many would consider putting in the long hard hours in the pool for six days of the week as severe punishment but not Mundell. She finds swimming, no matter how strenuous, to be relaxing and the ideal way to clear one’s mind. To her, it is a hobby.
According to Mundell having Tatjana Schoenmaker who won a silver medal last year at the World Student Games in Taipei as a training partner helps a lot.
“Tatjana’s performance proves that the Tuks training programme does work. What I appreciate about Tatjana is her willingness to share the things she learned from personal experience.”
Suné Liebenberg won gold medals in the 400m-freestyle, 100m-backstroke, 200m individual medley as well as the 400m individual medley.
She just missed out by a mere second in the 200m individual medley to qualify for the Youth Games. Liebenberg has not given up. She hopes to be fast enough at the South African Senior Championships.
The 14-year old Matthew Randle won three gold medals (100m-breaststroke, 200m-breaststroke and the 400m individual medley).
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