2023 SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, April 12th – Sunday, April 16th
- Newton Park Swimming Pool, Gqeberha, South Africa
- LCM (50m)
- World Championships Qualifier
- Selection Criteria
- Psych Sheet
The 2023 South African National Championships kick off tomorrow, Wednesday, April 12th with swimmers vying for World Championships qualification.
The federation’s selection criteria are fairly straightforward, with the 1st and 2nd placed finalists achieving a World Aquatics ‘A’ cut in an Olympic event automatically qualifying. If neither of the top 2 finishers achieves the ‘A’ standard, athletes with the fastest ‘A’ time in the event’s heats will be considered, provided they swim the final of that event.
The nation’s familiar faces are set to take to the Newton Park Swimming Pool, however, a racing veteran has also entered the competition.
42-year-old Olympic medalist Roland Schoeman is set to race this week, taking on the men’s 50m/100m free and 50m butterfly events in his first national championships since 2016.
The 50m and 100m freestyle events represent Schoeman’s individual Olympic medal events from the 2004 Games. In Athens, Schoeman scored silver in the 100m and bronze in the 50m.
Last December Schoeman competed at the King Marlin Swim Club Pro Am Classic where he produced times of 19.28 in the 50y free, 43.10 in the 100y free, 23.78 in the 50y breast and 20.47 in the 50y fly.
Olympian Chad Le Clos is expected to take on the 100m/200m fly and the 100m freestyle, the latter of which is not one of the 30-year-old’s typical events.
Le Clos said, “The 100 free is a new event which I’ve been working quite hard on recently but understanding that it’s still a process.
“I’m feeling good, really confident, definitely different to the last two years that I’ve been swimming… Hopefully we have some good results. I’m just happy to be here in a good head space, good body – and we’ll see how we go.”
Matt Sates and Pieter Coetze are also key racers on the men’s side on which to keep an eye.
Lara van Niekerk, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Rebecca Meder and more are among the women’s contingent.
Key Entries
- Pieter Coetze – 50m/100m/200m back, 50m/100m free, 50m fly
- Dune Coetzee – 100m/200m/400m/800m/1500m free
- Kaylene Corbett – 50m/100m/200m breast, 200m IM, 50m/100m fly
- Erin Gallagher – 50m/100m/200m free, 50m/100m fly
- Chad Le Clos – 100m/200m fly, 100m free
- Rebecca Meder – 100m/200m/400m free, 200m/400m IM, 50m/100m fly
- Matt Sates – 100m/200m/400m free, 200m/400m IM, 100m fly
- Roland Schoeman – 50m/100m free, 50m fly
- Tatjana Schoenmaker – 50m/100m/200m breast, 200m free, 200m IM
- Lara van Niekerk – 50m/100m/200m breast, 50m fly
42-year-old Olympic medalist Roland Schoeman racing here – wow! I was privileged to see him swim in Texas @ a Lewisville pro-meet a couple of years ago — Wow! What a physical specimen at his age — or ANY age for that matter. He was as focused on improvement and winning as I’ve ever seen. And, HONEST about personal failures.
Personally, this would be SUCH a thrill to see this 40+ make the squad. We used to think 30+ as old – no more!
Are the personal failures you speak mean getting caught doping?
What were the women’s 100m backstroke results? For the A final
Don’t forget Aimee Canny and Emma Chelius
I think Aimee Canny has allot of potential, SA swimming is on fire right now.
Ronold Shoeman was banned for taking Cardarine GW-501516 SERM. It improves cardio but in clinical studies this causes cancer in rats so it never got approval for more studies. It’s lab made, hardcore, and expensive. There’s is no way to take that stuff unless it’s 100% intentional. He claims to have never ingested it. He’s a liar. I have no doubts he was natural in his prime, but he obviously went the route of performance enhancing drugs as he’s aged. His regimen at the time of the positive doping test also consisted of 31 supplements, but y’all think he would never consider taking one of the illegal ones.
Think Live stream might be available here: SA NATIONAL AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 Day 1 – YouTube
Their channel: SwimSA TV – YouTube
Results are available on Meet Mobile “SA National Aquatic SNR-Champ 2023-PE”
Thanks for the link… works just fine.
I like that they’re including the para events, like the Australians.
Pieter Coetze: 53.18 in the 100 back heats.
Schoeman headed back to SA like
Should have stuck to masters and local club meets. No drug testing there
Roland should be banned from any form of competition. There is no room for cheaters in this sport!
Having known dopers compete sets a terrible precedent for the kids out there.
you love to throw stones