This past weekend, Bank Windhoek concluded its third Long Course Gala for the year at the Olympia Swimming Pool in Windhoek. Hosted by the Namibia Swimming Union (NASU), the competition between clubs or groups of swimmers, especially the youth, saw 120 participants from Aqua Swimming Club, Dolphins Swimming Club, Marlins Aquatic Club, and Phoenix Swimming Academy compete in 756 events.
Simultaneously, swimmers from the Swakop Swimming Club and Flippers Aquatic Club were competing in Swakopmund, while the Oranjemund Sand Sharks were going through their paces in the mining town. NASU combined the results from all three events to determine the outcomes.
“It was a gruelling weekend in the heat, but with the holidays around the corner, the swimmers were giving it their all, resulting in seven new records being set," said NASU's Executive Committee Member, Nicky McNamara. Below is the list of records:
Namibia Long Course Records
Men 15 to 16 years 50 metre Butterfly: Aqua Swimming Club's Jose Canjulo set a new record in this event in 26.53, which overtook Rene Viljoen's 26.72 record set in 2018. His teammate, Ronan Wantenaar, surpassed Lushano Lamprecht's 2015 Fifth International Swimming Federation (FINA) Junior World's 25.98, in 25.88.
Men 11 to 12, and 15 to 16 years 400 metre Medley Relay: Dolphin's Swimming Cub, James Langford, Fourie Steyn, Michael Bauernschmitt and Liam Kinnaird, broke Aqua Swimming Club's Timothy Kapapa, Lorenzo Esterhuizen, Kabi Hekandjo, and Dominic Fitzpatrick 2019 5:56.48 record, in a new time of 5:31.87.
In the 15 to 16 years 400 metre Medley Relay, Aqua Swimming Club's Jose Canjulo, Brave Magongo, Christopher De Jager, and Noah Nell broke Team NASU's 1993 4:31.11 record in 4:25.31.
NASU Long Course Records
Women 10 and under 400 metre Medley Relay: Dolphins Swimming Club's Ariana Naukosho, Emma Brinkmann, Milan Prinsloo, and Vitoria De Sousa registered a 6:39.46 record, which broke the team's own 2019 time of 6:57.32.
Men 10 and Under 400 metre Medley Relay: Ryan Steyn, Ernst Jansen, Naan Jiao, Andre Badenhorst, from Dolphins Swimming Club, set a new 6:09.42 record in this event, surpassing the 6:25.86 record set by the team last year.
Men 13 to 14 years 400 metre Medley Relay: Dolphins Swimming Club's Oliver Durand, Ruizhe Zhou, Nico Esslinger, Oliver Ohm set a 4:47.47 new record, breaking the team's previous record 5:34.40 set in 2019.
“We are extremely proud of our swimmers. They had a tough 2020, but they remained resilient, focused, and disciplined despite the challenges. We wish them and their families a well-rested festive season," concluded McNamara.
With adherence to strict COVID-19 protocols set out by the Namibian Sport Commission (NSC), the Bank Windhoek Long Course Gala is open to all registered clubs and swimmers. The fourth Bank Windhoek Long Course Gala will take place at the end of January 2021.
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