Aquabear excel at champs

THE Aquabear Club team excelled to claim the silver medal in the National Age Groups synchronised swimming championships in Cape Town last week.

With only 16 competitors ranging in age from eight to 24, the club did well against far bigger clubs from Cape Town and Durban. They finished second behind Western Cape club Barracudas.

Competitors from Gauteng and East London also took part.

In the 12 years and under section, Aquabear were represented by Kaitlyn Doms, Liyema Maticinka, Jasmine Wittuhn, Rachel Doms and Chloe Elgar. Kaitlyn Doms, Maticinka and Wittuhn took a bronze medal in the trio event.

The group then won silvers in the duet (Kaitlyn Doms and Elgar), team and free combination.

Ceri Bezuidenhout and Nina Smith took silver and bronze in the 13-15 figures and solo events respectively, and Bezuidenhout joined Nicky Karlson to finish third in the duet.

Mieke Struwig was crowned the 16-18 figures, solo and duet champion. Her duet partner, Drew Anderson, also took the bronze in the figures.

In the Open Championships, Kerry Norden won the bronze in the technical solo and teamed with Courtney Musson to take second place in the technical duet.

The Aquabear team, comprising these swimmers as well as Kayla Botha, Rachel Parker, Taegan van Zyl and Kyra Jacobs, also took silver in the technical team and free team events, and bronze in the free combination.