Weber and McMorran Excel at the SA National Open Water Champs

The SA National Open Water Swimming Championships concluded on Sunday, 21 March 2021, at the Marina Martinique in Jeffrey’s Bay, with Leigh McMorran winning the 5km gold medal.

Johannesburg’s McMorran (17) clocked a fast 1:01:24.07 in Sunday’s 5km distance to defend her 2020 title ahead of KZN’s Sasha-Lee Corris (24) in 1:01:26.71 and the Eastern Cape’s Amica de Jager (22) in 1:01:28.32, adding her name to the FINA World Junior OWS Championships qualifiers.

Besides McMorran, Tshwane’s Callan Lotter (15) and Kiarah George (15) also made the 14-16 FINA Qualification list, finishing with the silver and bronze in their age group event in 1:05:16.26 and 1:06:28.94, with the gold in the race going to KZN’s Mykae Forrest (16) in 1:03:19.31.

Day 2 Results:

Catherine van Rensburg (Tshwane), who won the silver medal during the 2020 competition, went one better to top the medal podium Day 2’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.

Day 1 Results:

The 2021 South African Open Water Swimming Olympic Trials and qualification for the FINA World Junior Championships began with the impetus that the top two swimmers in the 10km race would be eligible for national selection, and the first to pencil her name on that list was recent Midmar Mile champ, Michelle Weber, who dominated the 10km distance in a golden time of 2:06:55.77.

Gauteng’s Stephanie Houtman finished a close second in 2:07:14.86, while the bronze was claimed by the Eastern Cape’s Amica de Jager in 2:07:47.45.

The SA National Aquatic Championships will continue with the swimming Olympic Trials at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha from 7th to 12th April 2021, while the FINA World Junior Open Water Championships will be held in the Seychelles from 22nd to 24th August.

2021 SA National Open Water Swimming Championships Results at the Marina Martinique in Jeffrey’s Bay:

Day 1 – 10km:

1. Michelle Weber 02:06:55
2. Stephanie Houtman 02:07:14
3. Amica De Jager 02:07:47

Day 2 – 7.5km:

1. Catherine van Rensburg 01:35:15
2. Mykae Forrest 01:35:53
3. Leigh McMorran 01:37:18

3km:

1. Emma Carmody 00:38:35
2. Tatum Botha 00:38:50
3. Callan Lötter 00:39:00

Day 3 – 5km:

1. Leigh McMorran 1:01:24.07
2. Sasha-Lee Corris 1:01:26.71
3. Amica de Jager 1:01:28.32

Photo 1 Caption: Michelle Weber stormed to the 10km win and the promise of national selection on the opening day of the SA National Open Water Swimming Championships, at the Marina Martinique in Jeffrey’s Bay. Photo: Supplied

Photo 2 Caption: The Open Water Swimming Championships concluded on Sunday, with Leigh McMorran winning the 5km gold medal. Photo: Leigh McMorran (Instagram)

With editing by gsport