Talented Grahamstown swimmers John Maree and Tamlyn Price posted some of their best times yet recently, as they tested themselves against world-class athletes at the South African short course championships in Pietermaritzburg.
Talented Grahamstown swimmers John Maree and Tamlyn Price posted some of their best times yet recently, as they tested themselves against world-class athletes at the South African short course championships in Pietermaritzburg.
The two qualified for the event by swimming senior nationals qualifying times and representing their province. Many swimmers competing in the KwaZulu-Natal event had just returned from the Commonwealth Games.
For Maree, a pupil at St Andrew’s College, this was his first SA short course champs. Price was doing the event for the third time. At national level, Maree commented, there wasn't much difference between the top 10 swimmers and the bottom 10.
“In a short-course gala the smallest mistake in your start, turns and finishes could cost you at least five places in a race,” said Maree.
Maree said swimming against the likes of international stars Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh had forced him to dig deeper than ever. This had a positive effect on his times and positions.
Maree swam personal best times in all his races and by the end of the championship had set three new school records. Price also rose to the occasion, breaking her existing 100m Eastern Province backstroke record, in a new time of 1 minute 4,45 seconds. She swam in one final and three semi-final events, posting impressive times.
Price is due to take up a swimming scholarship in the US at the end of the year. Price swam 1 minute 4,45 seconds in the 100m backstroke semi-final; 26,97 in the 50m freestyle semi-finals; 28,57 for sixth spot in the 50m butterfly final; 31,00 in the 50m backstroke and 1.07,55 in the 100m butterfly.
Maree swam a 56,80 for the 100m freestyle; 1.03,35 in the 100m backstroke; 26,61 in the 50m freestyle and 29,68 in the 50m backstroke.
