The coastal city of Durban will be hosting the second 2015 South African Swimming Grand Prix from 20th to 22nd February at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre.
Chad le Clos (courtesy of FINA)
As part of Swimming SA’s long-term participant development programme for 2016 and 2020, the event is aimed at providing a high level competition for SA’s senior elite athletes.
The Grand Prix started at the Stellenbosch University Swimming Pool last weekend (13 – 15 February) and makes its final stop in Durban.
Olympic gold medalists Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh will once again be the highlight of the competition.
Following an impressive run of four wins at the event in Stellenbosch, Le Clos will be back in his home town, swimming the 100 and 200m butterfly as well as the 100 and 200m freestyle.
Van der Burgh and Giulio Zorzi will be in it to win it in the 50 and 100m breaststroke races, posting close entry times of 26.76 and 27.68 as well as 58.80 and 1:01.37 respectively.
The 2015 SA Swimming Grand Prix is also hosting USA’s Michael Andrew. The 15 year-old recently broke USA’s National Age Group Record in the 100m breaststroke (1:01.67) and won his first major competition, the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series in Texas.
Andrew, who is in South Africa for three months, competing and visiting family, showed his great talent when he claimed first position three times, came second twice and occupied third place at the Grand Prix in Stellenbosch and will be looking to claim even more in Durban when he competes in nine events (50 and 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 50 and 100m butterfly, 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke and the 50m backstroke).
Other contenders include the likes of Charl Crous, who will be swimming in the 50, 100 and 200m backstroke as well as Myles Brown in the 100, 200, 400m freestyle.
On the ladies side, 25 year-old Karin Prinsloo, who finished first in the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke the previous weekend, will be looking to make a splash when she races in the 100, 200 and 400m freestyle as well as the 100 and 200m backstroke.
Michelle Weber will strive for fast times in her respective 100, 200, 400 and 800m freestyle events, while Rene Warnes will feature in the 100 and 200m butterfly, the 200m freestyle as well as the 200 and 400m individual medley.
Finishing second in the 200m individual medley and the 100 and 400m freestyle in Stellenbosch, Marlies Ross will be looking to better her performance in the 50, 100, 200 and 400m freestyle, the 200m individual medley and the 100m butterfly races.
The SA Swimming Grand Prix will also see Paralympian Kevin Paul, Charl Bouwer and Craig Groenewald take to the water. Paul will race in the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke as well as the 200m individual medley, while Bouwer is entered in the 50 and 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and the 100m backstroke, with Groenewald competing in an impressive eight events (50, 100, 200 and 400m freestyle, the 200m individual medley, the 100m backstroke, the 50m butterfly and the 100m breaststroke).
The SA Swimming Grand Prix begins on Friday, 20th February with a 17:00 heats session, while the finals of the competition will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00.
Swimming News is courtesy of South African Swimming.