Catherine van Rensburg and Connor Albertyn win the 7.5km during Day 02 of the 2021 SA National Open Water Swimming Championships

Jeffrey's Bay, Saturday, 20th March 2021 – South Africa's Open Water swimmers continued to shine during the second day of the Championships, taking place at the Marina Martinique in Jeffrey's Bay.

This year's competition also doubles as the official trials for the FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships and the top two athletes in the 5, 7.5 and 10km events from the relevant age groups (14-15, 16-17 and 18-19) will be considered for selection.

Tshwane's Connor Albertyn and KZN's Leshen Pillay celebrated their well deserved gold and silver medals in the 16-17 age group 7.5km race, clocking 1:31:09.48 and 1:33:18.16, respectively, while the bronze medal was claimed by Patrick Hepke in 1:34:00.88.

Catherine van Rensburg (Tshwane), who won the silver medal during the 2020 competition, went one better to top the medal podium in today's 16-17 7.5km race with a time of 1:35:15.55, ahead of KZN's Mykae Forrest in 1:35:53.13 and Johannesburg's Leigh McMorran in 1:37:18.38.

In the ladies' 3km events, 13-14 age group medals were won by Bailey Forrest (39:22.80), Rebecca Fury (40:43.55) and Kiara Croft (40:45.23), the 15-16 medal podium was made up of Emma Carmody (38:35.70), Callan Lotter (39:00.93) and Teegan Pio (39:31.74), while the winners in the 17-18 category were Tatum Botha in 38:50.93, Paige Nicholson in 40:50.29 and Nelzaan Strydom in 41:06.05.

Kaitlyn Albertyn, Courtney de Villiers and Rachael Humphries claimed the gold, silver and bronze in the 19-29 age group race in 39:17.95, 41:52.81 and 42:58.17, respectively, while the winning trio in the 41-51 category were Carina Hambloch (44:13.14), Anneke Boshoff (47:29.13) and Mandy Koegelenberg (47:33.19).

The gold and silver in the 3km Over 51 age group were scooped by Ingrid Trusler in 45:43.29 and Denise Bosman in 45:50.49.

The 4 x 1.25km mixed relay title went to Tshwane's Van Rensburg, Henre Louw, Lotter and Reino van Wielligh in 1:00:23.25, followed by KZN's Brendan Visser, Teague White, Tory Earle and Carli Antonopoulos in 1:01:51.11 and the Eastern Cape's Bryce Minderon, Ares Sakelliou, Pio and Kaitlynne Horne in 1:03:20.71.

For live streaming of the event, please follow @SANATOWS2021 on Facebook and for full results, please visit www.zsports.co.za/saows-champs

The SA National Open Water Swimming Championships conclude tomorrow.

Sunday, 21st March 2021:

09h00 – 5km Men

09h00 – 5km Men Multi Disability

11h00 – 5km Women

11h00 – 5km Women Multi Disability

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Swimming South Africa's Marketing Coordinator

Mmathapelo Phale

011 404 2480

Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.

Its objective is to encourage the practice of aquatic disciplines for all in South Africa with the purpose of promoting swimming as a life skill through Learn To Swim programmes; providing healthy exercise to South Africans of all ages and races; recruiting recreational swimmers to compete in the various competitions; and promoting competition and athlete development to the highest level. Swimming South Africa is kindly supported by SASCOC, National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, Arena, Sport & Recreation SA and Rand Water.