A bright future is beckoning for Hartbeespoort swimmer Antonie Pieterse (19) who is not only travelling to Australia next month for the Lifesaving World Championships, but will also start studying and swimming in America in September.

Antonie Pieterse (19) is off to the world championships.

Antonie and fellow swimmer, Christiaan van Eden, from Harties Reflections Swimming and Lifesaving Club will both compete in the world championships on the Australian Gold Coast in August.
“I am extremely excited and can’t wait. With hard work and lots of practicing, I believe I can do very well at the world championships,” an excited Antonie said.
Soon after he returns from Australia, he is packing his bags to go study and swim at Roberts Wesleyan University in New York State in America. He received academic and swimming bursaries from this university. “I will be studying physics and mechanical and aerospace engineering. I will swim for the university. I am so fortunate and looking forward to it.”
Antonie started swimming lessons when he was a mere six months old. “I just never stopped. I started competing and winning competitions when I was seven. Because I was so young, I competed in older age groups. Swimming and then lifesaving have been my life ever since. If I am not studying, I am swimming,” he said.
It has always been his dream to be in the Protea Lifesaving team and he is looking forward to the opportunity to compete and make a good impression overseas.
Why is he so passionate about swimming? “I think it is the mental challenge, the fact that you have to push through pain and fatigue and deal with the stress accompanying the competitive sport.
What does the future hold in swimming and after his studies? He is not very concerned about that at the moment. “I swim for the love of it. We will see what happens.”