South African High School Championships: Chad le Clos On Target

EAST LONDON, South Africa, March 3. RECORD-breaking KwaZulu Natal swim star Chad le Clos has set his sights on claiming seven gold medals when the Telkom SA National Level 3 Championships take place at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool in East London.

After Swimming South Africa had stepped in to ensure that the South Africa National High Schools Championships went ahead in East London this weekend, Westville Boys High sophomore pupil le Clos, 16, gave the swimming fans much to cheer about as he set new SA Schools records in the open 400 meter individual medley (4: 36.49), the men's 15-16 years 200 meter individual medley (2:12.03) and the men's 13-16 years 200 meter breaststroke (2:24.58).

"After several weeks of hard training, I have been putting in more speed work sessions and I was delighted with my times clocked at the schools championships, and am really looking forward to swimming in the SA National Level 3 Championships this week," said le Clos, who trains with the likes of Durban-based elite national squad swimmers Melissa Corfe and Wesley Gilchrist, under coach Graham Hill.

In East London this week, le Clos will be aiming for gold in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke, the 200 and 400 meter individual medley and the 50, 100 and 200 meter butterfly races.

le Clos is hoping to be a part of the national swimming teams that will compete at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Monterrey, Mexico from July 8-13 and at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India from October 12-18.

With the likes of 200 and 400 meter individual medley national record-holder Jessica Pengelly, 12-year-old Port Elizabeth-based breaststroke sensation Jessica Liss, as well as Gilchrist, ready to swim in East London, swimming enthusiasts are in for a treat.

Add in high school championship stars in 15 – 16 years category SA Schools 50 meter breaststroke record-holder Dirk Lambrechts and Pierre Wirth (both Gauteng), as well as Riaan Smit and Heinrich Alberts (both Northern Province) and the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool is set to be the scene of many moments of action-packed swimming this week.

Special thanks to Swimming South Africa for contributing this report.

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