Story Page

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!!

Congratulatinons

Congrat's go to the following Club swimmer's selected to the KZN Team to attend S.A.Nationals

Grant O'Brein, Warren Seery, Ronwyn Roper, Christel Pienaar, Desiree Martin and Sonja Le Roux

You have all done the Club proud and we wish you everything of the best. Remember, we are all behind you.

Web Site Shuts Down!!

Due to unforeseen cicumstances this Web Site will be shutting down as from the end of the month. It has been an extreme pleasure to be able to be in a position to supply all of the information that I have to all the visitors to this site. I thank each and everyone of you that have visited this site in making it the success that it has been. For a site to have had over 2250 hits in such a short period of time speaks for itself and shows that this type of site is needed to inform all as to what has and is happening in swimming today.

If the situation allows sometime in the future, I will once again get the site up and running but until such time it is with regret that this has to be the case.

Once again Thank you, especially to all of you that sent e-mails of thanks.

Thank You

Hennie Bezuidenhout

Letter to Daily News

Dear Mr Iqbal Khan,

More exposure is needed for the Juniors and Smaller clubs......In Swimming

I would like to request that more exposure be given to the Junior Swimmers of KZN and to the Smaller swim clubs. Whilst I do appreciate that the Senior Swimmers need to be given as much exposure as possible...I feel that all too often the Juniors are excluded and this is where the future Senior Champions come from. It appears to me, that only the swimmers from the Larger clubs get mentioned in the News. There are so many Fantastic swimmers out there from the smaller clubs too...and I believe that all too often they are not given their due.

Internationally our swimmers do exceptionally well. Looking at the Olympic achievements in this country, it is our swimmers who really seem to achieve. The sport demands an enormous amount of time for training. I am not sure that any other sport is as demanding. The rewards are often small, But it would be encouraging if the swimmers were recognised publicly for their achievements.

I ask that you look at this and see if you can find a way to offer more exposure. I am from Queensburgh Beavers Swim Club and I sent in a write up earlier today about the club's achievements at the recent First Division Champs at Kings Park. Granted the *punt* is on the Juniors from our Club, ...But I believe that the achievements of the Junior swimmers are not being given the recognition they deserve. I am not sure if one club has ever scooped all the medals in an age group like QBV did in the Boys 11yrs and under??? Records were broken too.....I believe that the club deserves some mention and so does Margaret Martin ...the Coach. Her dedication and effort are commendable.

Further more...Kings Park Swimming club won the Gala overall. This has also not been mentioned in the Papers.

I hope you can find some way to help with this request. I will forward a copy of the email I sent earlier today...for your attention. The same Ronwyn Roper I mention is the Youngest KZN swimmer to ever qualify for Senior Nationals. She also made the 200m breaststroke final last year.....Quite a feat at age 12yrs!!! She has Qualified again this year...in 5 events...aged 13yrs.

Yours In Anticipation......

Karen McKenzie

KZN CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE KZN PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS MAY BE OVER BUT FOR OUR 33 SWIMMERS WHO COMPETED, CELEBRATIONS WILL GO ON FOR A LONG TIME YET. ONCE AGAIN WE FINISHED IN AN AMAZING 4^TH PLACE BE BEHIND CLUBS WITH TWICE THE MEMBERSHIP.

1ST - KINGS PARK

2ND - MR PRICE SEAGULLS

3RD - SEAL - PMB

41 INDIVIDUAL & 6 RELAY MEDALS WERE WON. IN TOTAL. THE BOYS 11YRS & UNDER TEAM OF KYLE MCKENZIE, CHAD MCKENZIE, CHEYNE FISHER & JUSTIN PATTISON ACHIEVED THE MOST AMAZING PERFORMANCE BY WINNING EVERY EVENT IN THEIR AGE GROUP. BOTH RELAYS WERE SCOOPED IN RECORD BREAKING TIME. KYLE & CHEYNE ALSO BROKE THE PROVINCIAL & SOUTH AFRICAN AGE GROUP RECORDS IN THEIR SPECIIALIZED EVENTS. YOU GUYS GIVE NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS “DREAM TEAM”.

OTHER KZN RECORDS BROKEN WERE RONWYN ROPER – GIRLS 13/U 50 BREASTSTROKE & LAUREN BEZUIDENHOUT GIRLS 11/U 100M BACKSTROKE. LAUREN ALSO HOLDS THE KZN 50M BACKSTROKE RECORD.

6 CLUB SWIMMERS – DESIREE MARTIN: GRANT O’BRIEN: WARREN SEERY, CHRISTEL PIENAAR, RONWYN ROPER & SONJA LE ROUX HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE PROVINCE AT THIS YEARS SA SENIOR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN MARCH.

22 SWIMMERS WILL MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE AT THE SA AGE GROUP PRESTIGE CHAMPIONSHIPS ALSO TO BE HELD IN MARCH. WITH A FURTHER 13 SECURING A REPRESENTATION AT THE AFRICAN CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

RONWYN ROPER WAS AWARDED THE VICTRIX LUDORUM FOR THE BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

WITH THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS STILL TO BE SWUM THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE SWIMMERS WHO ACHIEVED THEIR PERSONAL GOALS.

By: Margaret Martin

RECENT KZN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (LEVEL2/3.....FIRST DIVISION)

Reporter: Karen McKenzie

If you check your results you will notice that Queensburgh Beavers Swim club scooped EVERY individual & relay trophy in the boys 11/under yrs. This is a WONDERFUL achievement.

Kyle Mckenzie....7 individual wins (incl KZN 50m back record)

Chad McKenzie....3 Individual wins (the McKenzie boys are not related)

Cheynne Fisher...1 Individual win (incl 10yr old S.A. Nat Age group record 100m Breast)

200m Free relay ...NEW KZN record..team of Kyle McKenzie, Chad mckenzie Cheynne Fisher and Justin Pattison)

200m Medley Relay...NEW KZN Record...team of Kyle mcKenzie, Chad McKenzie, Cheynne Fisher and Justin Pattison

In addition 11yr old Lauren Bezuidenhout won the girls 11yrs 50m & 100m backstroke events...setting a NEW KZN record in the 100m Backstroke. Another Queen for the club was Ronwyn Roper...age 13yrs who won the Junior Victrix Ludorum and 4 Ind Events. The club took a record 41 Individual medals and ARE EXTREMELY PROUD of the results the Swimmers and Coach Margaret Martin Achieved.

Thank you.......

KZN Championships close on a high note

The highly successful KZN swimming Championships for 2001 came to a close on Sunday evening with a further 64 national senior qualifying times being posted and three domestic records taking a tumble.

In a strange twist of fate, two of the three records that fell during the session, were broken in the girls 11 and under age group.

The first record of the evening to go was that of up and coming Melissa Corfe. It was the diminutive Lauren Bezuidenhout (Beavers – KZN) (1.15,16) who took ,26 sec off the 1998 mark set by Corfe.

An excited Bezuidenhout said after the race that with a further two more meets before Nationals, she will be making a concerted effort to get her time closer to Roxanne Meyers’ National mark of 1.12,98.

“I felt good in the water tonight and believe that I can go faster”, bubbled the normally reserved Bezuidenhout.

The 200m IM saw Bianca Meyer (Kings Park – KZN) (2.39,48) in an exciting tussle with Gabri Bombardieri (Dolphins – CGA ) (2.41,77) with both girls going under the previous mark of 2.42,06 established by K McKechnie on New Years day in 1997.

The tussle for the minor placing was also highly competitive with ten-year-old Lauren Warwick – Oliver (Pietermaritzburg Seals – KZN ) (2.47,24) edging out Lauren Bezuidenhout ( Beavers – KZN) (2.48,18) and Kathryn Meaklim (Kloof ) (2.48,57) for the silver.

In the girls 12-13 200m Medley Relay it was the Pietermaritzburg Seals (2.12,97) combination of Candice Phippen, Romi Hellerman, Cheryl Townsend and Yvonne Amm who were in a class of their own, that shaved ,32 sec off the Mr. Price Seagulls’ 1998 effort of 2.13,30. Beavers (2.17,34) took second place ahead of Westville (2.18,08)

With the likes of Bianca and Lauren and co. on the heels Corfe and co., the future of KZN swimming looks good.

The meet got off to an early start with Marike Theunisson (Pietermaritzburg Seals –KZN) (17.22,44) winning the 1500m freestyle, from the Kloof duo of Wendy Henstock (18.05,09) and Lisa Hobbleman (19.40,11).

The men’s 800m saw Terence Parkin (Mr. Price Seagulls- KZN) (8.28,93) again dominate proceedings with an emphatic win over teammate Daryl Spires (8.40,28) and Kings Parks’ Wayne Rice (8.52,64).

The 100m backstroke saw Pietermaritzburg Seals teammates Lindsey Backhouse (1.06,80) and Samantha Jones (1.07,23) hold off a challenge from Central Gautengs’ Abigail Pyper (Linrand - CGA)( 1.07,70) for top honors, with Monique Malan (Kings Park – KZN) (1.08,64) taking the bronze.

In the men’s event it was Alain Tardien (16) (Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (1.00,60) who edged out prelims leader Rudolph Wagenaar ( Bloemfontien Seals – FS) (1.00,81) and All Africa games medallist Brett Rodgers ( Dolphins – CGA) ( 1.01,14) in an exciting tussle that was only decided in the death. Jeff Norton (Kings Park – KZN) (1.01,95) took silver with bronze going to Craig Jollands (Kloof – KZN) (1.03,62).

The 200m Individual Medleys saw Olympians Terrence Parkin (2.07,87) and Mandy Loots (2.21,14) notch up further wins with Robyn Bees (Pietermaritzburg Seals – KZN) taking the title in 2.26,84 ahead of Candice Crafford ( Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (2.26,87). Elzette Jordaan (Pietermaritzburg Seals – KZN) took the bronze in 2.32,98.

In the 200m butterfly, it was again Loots who posted the fastest time with a 2.17,61 ahead of title winner Candice Crafford (Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (2.22,38). Desiree Martin (Beavers)(2.23,28) and Lauren Sparg (Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (2.29,31) filled the minor placing.

In the men’s event, it was “Big George” du Rand (Bloemfontien Seals – FS) who went a classy PB of 2.04,13 ahead of teammate and training partner Luke Wilkens (2.06,16). The title went to Kenneth Smith (Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (2.07,57) with Wayne Rice (Kings Park – KZN) (2.12,72) and Michael Francis (Mr. Price Seagulls – KZN) (2.15,57) taking the balance of the silverware.

The meet ended on a positive note with the KZN team for the Telkom Senior National Championships to be held at altitude in Germiston later this year being announced.

"HELLWEEK"

A song of a coach named Margaret

By Jarred, Michelle & Tami

Sing to the theme of "Its Raining Men"

This is Jarred Martin

& this is Tami and Michelle

reporting to you live from the hellroom

Baby the Coach just got moody

Honey, just when u thought it was safe

to get back in the pool

BHAM!! Aunty Margaret

The distance is rising

our energy's getting low

callin to all swimmers (what swimmers)

the beds the place to go

cause tonight for the first time

at just about half past five

For the 1st time in history 2500 fly

(I'm gonna die)

Chorus

We're about to peg (whoa!!)

What to do now wer'e about to peg, we're dead

Every speciman fly, free, back and fly

When do we get our God Damn rest

Chorus

We're about to peg (whoa!!)

What to do now wer'e about to peg, we're dead

Hear her screaming don't u lose your head

You better sleep in compulsory rest

Shut up and sleep

KPMG Swazi Mile - Sunday 21st January 2001

Luphohlo Dam ( Mbabane - Mhlambanyatsi rd )

13yrs / under

14 -30yrs

31yrs / over

Male & Female

Medals for all finishers

Age category trophies

Registration 9.00 - 9.45am

R20 entrance fee pp

e-mail entries to Maggie Dobson