For some time now, South Africa’s elite athletes have been pining for its flagship national pool, Kings Park, to be upgraded to meet the basic standards met at other competition venues around the world. Situated in Durban, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, King’s Park holds a 50m indoor pool and outdoor pool and holds the nation’s championships, Olympic Trials and virtually all other elite intentional selection meets.
However, Kings Park has failed to keep up with the swimming times, not even furnishing starting block wedges. That’s right, the nation’s top athletes, including sprinters in the 50m where the start is basically half the race, have been at a disadvantage with no on-block wedges.
Olympians such as Roland Schoeman have been vocal about the need for Kings Park to upgrade, with the timeless sprinter stating back in 2015, “The pool, although our best is so unbelievably outdated. The starting blocks aren’t up to current FINA standards (these blocks alone have shown to help 2/10ths of a second on the first 50m) The pool needs to be deeper and the pool needs to be upgraded to a flow over system. The depth of the pool and the flower over system both aid in reducing the amount of waves and therefore the amount of resistance the swimmers experience.”
Things have finally changed, however, as Kings Park’s blocks are now donning not only top wedges, but also backstroke ledges, per World Championships finalist Ryan Coetzee.
No more slipping!! We getting wedges for nationals baby!! Wayne Ridden coming in clutch !! #nationals #durban #kzn #swimming #slipandslide pic.twitter.com/6V85kFrD9A
— Ryan Coetzee (@Ryan_Tha_Rhino) March 30, 2019
The enhancement is coming just in time for the South African National Youth & Senior Championships, which are taking place April 8th – 12th.
Wayne Riddin needs more acknowledgement for these blocks. He and his nephew worked in their private capacity to upgrade these start facilities at Kings Park.
It does look shallow. Really shallow. Like almost every pool we old folks swam in back in they day (not safe, but then again, our parents smoked in the car driving us to practice, we didn’t wear goggles to train or race, and our breakfast was Lucky Charms).
Everyone knows that in the southern hemisphere the wedge goes in the front. Come on now.
Also April fools? Just kidding