Young swimmer triumphs in open water series at Swakop

14-YEAR-OLD Christiaan van der Westhuizen dominated his category in the 2-kilometer swim at the Sea Works Beach Series held at Swakopmund’s Mole on Saturday. The homeschool learner outpaced seasoned competitors, many older and more experienced than himself, securing a victory.“I don’t know how I won this time, I just know that I tried hard and swam much faster,” he said, comparing to his last month’s performance at the same series where he came third. “It was a very nice race. Last time, I lost count of my laps, but this time, everything went very well.” The racecourse spanned approximately 500 meters per lap, requiring competitors to navigate multiple buoys through the bay.Christiaan finished the 2-kilometer swim 30:00.4, narrowly beating Jorn Buchert (and last month’s winner), who came in second at 30:07.7, and veteran Duncan Lester, who finished third at 30:19.9.Adding to the Van der Westhuizen family’s success, Christiaan’s father, Francois, claimed victory in the 1-kilometer swim, finishing with a time of 13:36.5. His feat was impressive considering he had just completed a match in a local tennis tournament before diving into the open water race, only to return to the tennis court immediately afterward. Last month’s winner Paul Archer secured second place in the 1-kilometer swim at 13:42.7, while Tuli Kainge followed in third place with a time of 13:56.9. “I’m extremely proud of my son,” Francois remarked. “He put in the effort, and it paid off.”The 500-meter swim saw Nadine Alberts clinch the top spot in the women’s category, clocking in at 08:57.8. It was only her fourth competition, yet she was elated (and exhausted) by her progress. “I’m really happy with how I performed today,” she said. She was closely followed by Tamrin Coetzee, who finished second at 09:03.5, and Nina Holtrup, who secured third place with a time of 09:55.6.The running events were equally competitive, with Dionisius Britz winning the 5-kilometer run in 16:42.9. Jonathan Grebe followed closely behind, finishing at 16:49.6, while Anja Schroder took third place in 18:31.0. Meanwhile, the 2-kilometer run saw a close contest among the female runners, with Heide Garbade emerging victorious with a time of 10:07.9. She was trailed by Lili Elifas at 10:08.3 and Johanna Liyambo at 11:28.0.The Sea Works Beach Series continues to gain popularity, with this edition attracting around 80 participants—an increase from the 74 entries recorded in the previous event. Team Flippy organiser and Namibia’s two-time Olympian Phillip Seidler attributed the growing success to strong community engagement, increased sponsorship, and a more vibrant atmosphere.“This event was a massive success,” he said. “Not only did we see more participants, but we also had better facilities, including music, food stalls, and a coffee vendor. It’s great to see the community coming together to support these athletes.”Seidler emphasised the importance of these events for developing local talent: “Competitive fitness is essential. Countries like South Africa have frequent sporting events, which is why they excel in athletics. We need to provide the same opportunities here to prepare our athletes for international competition.”Looking ahead, the Beach Series is set to continue growing, with the organisers introducing more community-driven sports initiatives. “This is just the beginning,” Seidler vowed. “We have many more events planned, and we’re excited to see even more participation in the future.”

Young swimmer triumphs in open water series at Swakop

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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Young swimmer triumphs in open water series at Swakop

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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