The 2020/2021 swim season has been a great season for the Harties Red Bears Swimming Club.

Not only did the Harties Red Bears swimmers bring home a total of 96 Medals (33 Gold, 27 Silver and 36 Bronze), but continued swimming personal best times.

Four swimmers, Liam van Wyk, Edmund Nel, Marcel Zuur and Gerrick Griffioen, competed in the SA Regional Junior Championships Mire Greyling, Marcel Zuur and Gerrick Griffioen competed in the SA Regional Senior Championship and Mire Greyling and Marcel Zuur swam at SA Regional Youth Championships.

At the end of each swimming season there is a championship gala for each level of swimmers, namely Level 1, 2 and 3, Junior Nationals , Youth Nationals and Senior Nationals. Harties Red Bears swimmers competed in each one of these galas.

Despite the challengers COVID brought, the club has grown in size and achievements. Not only did the swimmers achieve in the pool, but one of the club’s swimmers also participated in the SA Open Water Nationals in Jeffrey’s Bay. Marcel Zuur swam the 7.5 km where he came ninth overall and the 5 km where he came third in his age group (16yrs). Open Water Nationals is also an Olympic qualifier.

The club’s swimmers all performed exceptionally well in their SA Level Gala’s – racking up the medals! Here are the results:

Level 1 Competition – Rustenburg (6 to 7 March 2021): 8 Gold, 11 Silver and 7 Bronze Medals
Jaxon Perry (10): 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Leo Metz (9): 2 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze
Daniel Hannemann (9): 2 Gold, 3 Silver
Marcus Metz (8): 3 Gold
Pedrie Jacobs (8): 1 Gold, 2 Silver
MG Jooste (8): 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
Oratilwe Ramorwesi (9): 1 Bronze
Chrizaan Hough (11): 1 Bronze
Ivanke Jacobs (9): 1 Bronze
Mikayla Hannemann (7): 1 Silver

SA Level 2 Regional Age Group Championships – Kimberley (26-28 March 2021): 8 Gold, 2 Silver and 6 Bronze Medals:
Selente Oosthuizen: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
Fredrich Barnard: 2 Gold, 1 Bronze
Hanrike Barnard:1 Gold, 2 Bronze
Mighael Barnard: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze
Leo Metz: 1 Gold
Zian Nel: 1 Gold

SA Level 3 Regional Age Group Championships – Penny Heyns Pool, Sasolburg (19 to 21 March 2021): 29 Medals (10 Gold, 6 Silver and 13 Bronze) between only 7 swimmers
Tenieke Greyling: 3 Gold, 4 Bronze
Julia Griffioen: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
Kimberley Howes: 1 Gold, 2 Bronze
Kyle Jansen van Vuuren: 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze
Anja Koen: 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze
Nicola Olivier: 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze

SA Juniors Regional Championships – Germiston and Gquberha (Port Elizabeth): 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze Medals
Edmund Nel: 3 Gold and 1 Bronze
Liam van Wyk: 1 Silver and 1 Bronze
Marcel Zuur: 1 Bonze
Gerrick Griffioen: 2 Silver and 1 Gold

SA Youth and Senior Regional Championships – Gquberha (Port Elizabeth) from 14 to 18 April 2021: 14 Medals (3 Gold, 5 Silver and 6 Bronze) between only 3 swimmers
Mire Greyling: 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze
Marcel Zuur: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze
Gerrick Griffioen: 1 Silver and 1 Bronze
Gerrick Griffioen also broke the North-West 100m under 16 Breaststroke record at this event with more than 1 second in a time of 1:06:72.

The Club is truly grateful to have access to a private pool that allowed them to be able start training as soon as the government allowed professional sports to start programmess. A big thank you goes out to Aqualand whose facilities the club make use of.

Congratulations to Coach Garth Tune for bringing out the best in the swimmers.