The SA Open Water Swimming Championships concluded at the Marina Martinique with Leigh McMorran and Nathan Hughes winning the 5km gold medals on Sunday.
Johannesburg’s McMorran (17) clocked a fast 1:01:24.07 to defend her 2020 title ahead of KZN’s Sasha-Lee Corris (24) in 1:01:26.71 and St Francis Bay swimmer Amica de Jager (22) in 1:01:28.32.
Tshwane’s Callan Lotter (15) and Kiarah George (15) also made the 14-16 FINA Qualification list, finishing with the silver and bronze in their age group event in 1:05:16.26 and 1:06:28.94, with the gold in the race going to KZN’s Mykae Forrest (16) in 1:03:19.31.
The men’s 5km race saw KZN’s Hughes (21) take home the gold medal in 58:34.83, while the FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships qualifiers in the 14-16 age group race were the Western Cape’s Keegan Wright (15) and Liam Ellis (15) in 1:01:52.72 and 1:02:28.64, respectively.
The 17-18 category gold and silver were claimed by KZN’s Connor Buck (18) in 58:37.26 and the Free State’s Pieter Delport (18) in 1:00:22.98, while the bronze went to KZN’s Leshen Pillay (17) in 1:00:25.65.
The SA Champs was held over three days at Marina Martinique, regarded as the open water swim capital of Africa and was hosted by the Kouga Municipality.
