Down Syndrome Swimming

International Swimming Team 2007













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December 2008 News Release

TEAM SOUTH AFRICA SCOOP THIRD OVERALL PLACE IN INTERNATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP PLUS A HOST OF TOP MEDALS

Team South Africa once again did South Africa proud scooping third place in the 4th Down Syndrome Swimming Championships, which were held in Portugal between the 26th November – 4 December 2008. Australia clinched first place with Great Britain in second place.

Team South Africa scooped a total of 10 gold, 13 silver and 6 bronze medals in the World championships. They broke 8 World Records, 10 SA Records and the team recorded a total of 23 personal best times.

The Men’s A Relay Team excelled in their events winning 3 gold and 3 silver medals and breaking two world records in the process - 4 x 25m medley and 4 x 100m medley relay. The Men’s B relay team won silver and bronze while the woman’s relay team walked away with gold and silver. The six swimmers from KwaZulu Natal were in top form. Jennifer Higgins (KZN) once again showed her dominance in the longer distances: 4 World Records (800m & 400m freestyle, 200m IM & 200m breaststroke) a Gold in the 200 freestyle, Silver medal and SA Record in the 100 freestyle and bronze and SA Record in the 200m backstroke.

Jennifer had an excellent championship and medalled in all her individual events and was also the anchor swimmer in the female relay team. Peter Lundy (KZN) brought home a silver (100 freestyle) and bronze medal (100 butterfly) and broke the SA Records in the 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly. He reached the finals in 4 of his six individual events and is thus ranked in the top 8 world rankings. Peter was one of the key swimmers in the Men’s relay teams and won 2 gold and 4 silver medals.

Hylton Heggie (KZN) obtained a gold medal in the 25m & 50 breaststroke, a silver in the 25 freestyle and a bronze in the 25m butterfly in the heats and reached the finals in the 50m breaststroke with World rankings in the top 8 in four of his individual events. He swam “personal bests” in three of his events. As a member of the Men’s B Relay Team, he obtained a silver and bronze medal. Andrew Shelton (KZN) swam PB times in 3 of his individual events and is ranked in the top 8 World rankings in the 200m breaststroke. He received 3 bronze medals in the heats (50 back, 50 freestyle & 100 individual medley).

Karl Hebbelmann (KZN) is ranked in the top 8 World Rankings in the 200m breaststroke and backstroke and obtained a silver and bronze medal as a member of the Men’s B Relay Team. Leanne Jelf swam a personal best in the 25m breaststroke and as part of the female relay team won a gold and silver medal. She is ranked in the top 8 World Rankings in the 25m breaststroke and backstroke. Pieter Bell, the young swimmer from Western Cape, was on top form. He broke the 25m butterfly world record, obtained a silver (50 free) bronze (25m free) in the heats, swam personal bests in four of his individual events and is ranked in the top ten in all his events. He obtained 2 gold and 2 silver medals as part of the relay teams. Johan Hugo (WC) brought home a bronze medal (50m breaststroke), broke 2 SA Records (50m and 200m breaststroke) and made the finals in 3 of his individual events. As part of the relay teams he obtained 2 gold and 2 silver medals, and was also part of the world record relay team.

Donnèe Dixon (WC) received a gold and two bronze medals in the heats and did 3 personal bests. She is ranked in the top 8 World Rankings in the 25m butterfly and freestyle. Betty-Lou Miller (WC) set a new Masters World Record in the 200m Individual Medley, swam four personal best times and medalled in 4 of her events in the heats 2 gold, a silver and a bronze. Both Donnèe and Betty-Lou were members of the female relay team that won a gold and silver medal. Hannes-Walt de Klerk (Mosaic Downs) from Northern Cape medalled in all his events, obtaining gold and World Record in the 100 Individual Medley, 4 Silver and a Bronze medal in the Mosaic Down Syndrome category and setting new Mosaic Downs SA Records in all 6 events. Sean ONeill (Gauteng) made the finals in all but one of his events and is thus in the top 8 world rankings in 5 events. He brought home a bronze in the 50m freestyle as well as setting a new SA Record. He also set a new SA record in the 100 individual medley event. As a member of the Men’s A relay team, netted 3 gold and 3 silver medals and was part of the A relay team that broke 2 World Records. His team mate from Gauteng, Tyrone Rademeyer, also had a very successful championship, reaching the finals in all his events, obtaining silver and breaking the SA Records in both the 50m and 100m backstroke, a bronze in 50 butterfly and a personal best in the 50m freestyle. He is ranked in the top 4 World rankings in 4 of his events. Tyrone was also a member of the victorious Men’s A Relay Team.

Jacques Nel from the Free State was one of the members of the Men’s B relay team that won a silver and bronze medal. He swam a PB in the 25m butterfly and was placed 4th in the 25m backstroke. In the heats he received a bronze medal for 25 & 50 backstroke.

According to Ina Fowler, National swimming co-ordinator & Team manager, the 14 swimmers who participated coped remarkably well with the many hours of traveling, the winter conditions as well as the changed format of the competition that resulted in long days with very little opportunity for rest in between the heats and finals. “ We are most grateful that we managed to arrive one day earlier, as it allowed for an extra day of training as well as acclimatizing,” says Fowler.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank SASA-II, all our sponsors and the media for their support and encouragement. Team South Africa 2008 is proud to be associated with you,” concludes Fowler. ENDS

Other news! SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCES TEAM FOR PORTUGAL

The National Summer Games for the South African Sports Association for Intellectually Impaired were held in Potchefstroom, North West Province from 10-14 March 2008. The sporting codes competing were Cricket, Table Tennis and Swimming. Cross Country athletes participated in a training camp. A total of 450 athletes converged on Potchefstroom for this prestigious sporting event.

168 swimmers took part in 85 events offered over the four days of competition which included age group relays and separate events for swimmers with Down syndrome, numbers permitting. This was a ‘development” year and the gala was swam in a short course pool. For the first time in 2006 age group records were established. Many of those age group records were broken in both the S14 and Down syndrome events. A total of 38 swimmers with Down syndrome challenged each other for a place in the national team. Competition was particularly tough amongst the men. The 50 freestyle being an exciting race, with Tyrone, Peter, Sean and Hannes-Walt touching within split seconds of each other!

Two world records were broken at this event. Tyrone Rademeyer, 50 butterfly and Jennifer Higgins, 200 backstroke. Johan Hugo broke two South African records, 100 & 200 breaststroke (age group) and Peter Lundy the 100 butterfly. Jacques Nel set a new 25 breaststroke SA record as did Pietie Bell in the 25 backstroke (age group). As the pool had not been certified and approved by DSISO the world records cannot be recognized.

At the end of August a training camp will take place in Durban and the swimmers will compete in the Beavers Short Course Champs.

A team of fourteen swimmers were selected. Ten men and four women.

Men: Tyrone Rademeyer, Peter Lundy, Johan Hugo, Sean O’Neill, Pietie Bell, Hylton Heggie, Jacques Nel, Karl Hebbelmann, Andrew Shelton and Hannes-Walt de Klerk (Mosaic).

Women: Jennifer Higgins, Betty-Lou Miller, Donnèe Dixon, Leanne Jelf

All the swimmers are highly motivated and are committed to training hard for the 4th International & World Championships to be held in Albufeira, Portugal towards the end of the year.



OTHER SPORTING NEWS

Cross Country athletes will be participating in the World Cross Country Championships in Poland from 10-14 April 2008. The Athletics Team will be competing at the European Open Championships in Manchester, England in June this year and the S14 swimmers at the 4th INAS-FID Open European Swimming Championships to be held in Poland in August.

South Africa extends an invitation to all African countries to the SA Development Games in September 2008 which is to take place in the Western Cape. Sporting codes include Athletics, Cross Country, Basketball, Football and Netball. Table Tennis teams are invited to challenge the SA National Table Tennis team.

Barbara Higgins



INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING NEWS

DOWN SYNDROME INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING ORGANIZATION

In order for swimmers with Down syndrome to compete in the Paralympics they fall into the S14 category for athletes with learning disabilities. This is a wide category that includes people with little physical disability. As parents with athletes who have Down syndrome, we are very concerned that this creates an uneven playing field. We call upon our Governments and all sporting bodies to put pressure on the IPC (International Paralympics Committee) to allow swimmers with Down Syndrome to compete in a separate category. In Paralympics there are 14 categories. 10 for the physically disabled; 3 for the blind and only 1 for intellectual disability. Is this fair??