Roland Schoeman takes on young guns at SA championships

Three-time Olympic medallist Roland Schoeman’s name is among those on the start lists for the SA National Championships in Gqeberha this week as the 42-year-old sprinter looks to take on the young guns.

The championships, which are being staged at the Newton Park Swimming Pool, get under way with the heats on Wednesday morning and run until Sunday.

Schoeman has not competed at the national event since 2016, but has decided to give it another go in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly.

Also considered one of the veterans, but 11 years Schoeman’s junior is Chad le Clos, who has been enjoying a resurgence of his own —  claiming double gold at last year’s World Short Course Championships in Melbourne.

Le Clos, who turns 31 on the opening day of the competition, plans to swim the 100 and 200m butterfly as well as the 100m freestyle, with an eye on qualifying for the World Championships later this year in Fukuoka, Japan.

“The 100 free is a new event which I’ve been working quite hard on recently but understanding that it’s still a process,”  said Le Clos, who arrived in SA from his base in Germany last week.

“I think it’s going to be quite exciting.

“It’s great that Roland’s back, it’s really amazing that he’s still swimming at his age and I think he’s going to be good.

“I’m feeling good, really confident, definitely different to the last two years that I’ve been swimming. Hopefully we have some good results."

Meanwhile, the two teenagers who took last year’s Commonwealth Games by storm and were recently named sportswoman and sportsman of the year, Lara van Niekerk and Pieter Coetzé, will also compete in Gqeberha this week.

Van Niekerk made a splash in 2022 by beating Olympic gold and silver medallist Tatjana Schoenmaker in the 100m breaststroke at both the National Championships and the Commonwealth Games and will once again come up against her fellow Pretoria superstar in Gqeberha.

Schoenmaker’s main event is the 200m breaststroke, however, where her main rival will be training partner Kaylene Corbett.

“Obviously being SA champion would be lovely, but I am focusing on my race strategy and just executing it to the best of my ability,” said Van Niekerk.

“I have been very happy with my training and preparation.

“Swimming an Olympic qualifying time in Durban at the Grand Prix really showed me that I am on track. 

“I think my season last year has given me a lot of trust in my process and showed me that even if preparation is not perfect, I can still swim fast and race well,” the 19-year-old, who will be competing in the 50 and 100m breaststroke, said.

Taking on a busy programme of six events is Coetzé, who will be in action in the 50, 100 and 200m backstroke, 50 and 100 freestyle and the 50 butterfly.

“I’m feeling good and excited to go and race,” he said.

“With the international success in the last year, I wouldn’t say it feels different going into this year.

“I just think confidence definitely grew. I’m feeling way more confident and excited going into this year.

“I’m just hoping to swim PBs. That’s always what I’m hoping for,” the 18-year-old, who claimed Commonwealth Games gold, silver and bronze last year, said.

Fellow teenager Matt Sates will focus mainly on the 200 and 400m freestyle and the 200 and 400m individual medley.