Swimming SA Announce FINA Team

Melissa Corfe, pictured during the FINA/ARENA World Cup in Durban during October 2007, has been named by Swimming SA as one of eight women to represent South Africa at the FINA World Short Course Championships in England during April. Picture: © Anesh Debiky

Swimming SA has announced a full-strength line up that will challenge for glory at the FINA World Short Course Championships in Manchester, England from April 9-13.

The team includes experienced campaigners in two-time Olympian Mandy Loots, who will add much experience among the female athletes, with Lize-Mari Retief, Jessica Pengelly, Keri Shaw all capable of holding their own against world class opposition.

In announcing the team, Swimming SA President Jace Naidoo said: "Swimming will be an important stakeholder in the Olympic team that will take part in the Beijing Olympics and a successful campaign at the World Short Course Championships in Manchester, England will further help motivate our swimmers in their quest for fast times in this important year on the swimming calendar."

Swimming SA head coach Dirk Lange added: "The FINA World Short Course Championships will be the perfect platform for SA’s swimmers to perform on the international stage and for their times to be judged accordingly."

"The showpiece event in Manchester is the last major swimming competition before the Olympics and will allow our athletes the opportunity of gelling as a team as will be the case for those who make the line up to compete in Beijing."

At the previous World Short Course Championships held two years ago in Shanghai, China, Suzaan van Biljon added silver in the 100 metres breaststroke to the four gold brought in by men’s swimmers.

Naidoo also put forward Swimming SA’s Olympic selection criteria, which states that athletes wishing to be considered for selection for the provisional Olympic team, will need to post Olympic A level qualifying times at the Telkom SA National Championships at Kings Park in Durban from April 1-6."

"Athletes who post B level qualifying times at our national championships in Durban in April may not be entered for the individual events at the Olympics but may be considered for selection to the relay teams."

The local swimming scene is abuzz with excitement over the new two-leg Samsung Swimming Grand Prix series, which will start at the Delville pool in Germiston on February 16, followed by the coastal gala at the University of the Western Cape on February 23-24.

While the Samsung Swimming Grand Prix series will be the perfect platform for SA’s swim stars to clock some impressive early-season times, the events could also give rising talent the opportunity to make their presence felt with an eye to becoming household names for the future.