SWIMMING NEWS - Two eighteen-year-old swimmers from George made their hometown proud with their participation and results on international level, in Italy and Israel.
Almost 900 000 George Herald readers have been following Minke Janse van Rensburg's performance in Italy at the European Down Syndrome Championship and supported her on social media.
In another part of the world, in Netanya, Israel, Robert Hendricks represented his country at the World Junior Swimming Championships, where he secured two personal bests for 50m and 200m butterfly, improving his world ranking from 60th to 27th in the 50m fly.
Minke brought home two gold medals (50m and 100m freestyle), four silver (200m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 200m individual medley (IM), 400m freestyle) and one bronze (50m backstroke).
In the 200m freestyle she was defeated by the Spaniard Camino Martinez, the current world champion, and the winner of the 50m butterfly was Brit Amalia Freeland. Minke is coached by Franna Vorster of Garden Route Swim School.
"We appreciate everyone's contribution that helped to make this event possible for Minke," said Minke's dad, Hennie Janse van Rensburg. "Her dream has finally come true; gold under our flag while the national anthem plays."
Minke has good reason to smile.
Minke Janse van Rensburg brought home two gold medals, four silver and one bronze.
Nailed to the TV
Robert's dad, John, his mom Charise, his younger brother Tyson (13) and family friends sat nailed in front of the television to watch Robert swim last week.
Robert finished first in his heat (one of nine) for 50m butterfly on 7 September, narrowly missing the semi-finals. "He went in ranked 60th, with a time of 26.39, and swam a massive personal best (PB) and is now ranked 27th in the world among juniors, with a time of 25.23," said Charise.
For Robert's 200m butterfly on Saturday 9 September he swam another PB, improving his time from 2:07.32 to 2:06.20.
Robert and the rest of the South African swimming team returned home on Sunday 10 September. The coaches who joined the SA team are from all over the country, including Cape Town, Gqeberha and Gauteng.
"The experience was amazing; I learned so much from the coaches and swimmers," said Robert. "To compete against the best swimmers in the world was amazing and an eye-opener. They are goal motivated and determined, which made me realise that I have to work much harder." Robert is coached by JP van der Merwe of Royal Swimming Academy in George.
"I always tell him he has the heart of a lion," said Charise. Robert is currently in matric in Glenwood House, and is now focusing on his preliminary exams. However, he would like to continue with his swimming after school and certainly has Olympic dreams.
"He is contemplating studying at the University of Pretoria, in sport psychology," said Charise.
Robert Hendricks returned home with the rest of the South African swimming team on Sunday 10 September.
Robert Hendricks (18) at the back, in the middle, with the rest of the South African team.
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