Midmar Mile concludes
Things got underway in a cloud of action as four more names were added to the 2014 winner’s list in the first two events of the morning.
The girls 13 years and under and women’s 31 years and older race set the tone for yet another memorable day at Midmar Dam as young Tracy-Lea Meyer of Our Lady of Fatima and former Olympian Mandy Loots soared above the rest to clinch the two respective titles.
The boys 13 years and under and men’s 31 years and older showdown then saw Glenwood’s Luke Erwee clinch the younger title while Wade Krieger – returning home after spending the past few years living in Australia – claimed the older category’s spoils.
“I think it's all my training that helped me a lot, training for long distance, the 800 meters, in the pool,” said Meyer.
“I was really happy and excited to win the race!”
For Loots, an old-hand of the South African pool swimming fraternity, the 2014 event was an opportunity to do something for others with the former Olympic participant opting to tackle all eight of the programme’s races as part of the 8 Mile Club in support of The Pink Drive.
“Coming from being a pool swimmer, this year we have had a lot more waves, so that has been a different experience for me,” explained Loots.
“It has been good fun though and using my swimming for a bigger cause, that's the bigger thing for me! For so long I swam for myself so it's nice to get out there and swim for something special and worthwhile.
“Last year was a big surprise when I finished first in my category, so this year I was a bit more nervous about doing it again, but I was happy to get the same result,” she added.
For young Erwee, the race was far more of a race that it ought to have been after the emerging star mistook 8 Mile Club participant and top female contender Keri-anne Payne for one of his main rivals until the second half of the contest.
“Just after halfway I realised it was Keri-anne Payne on the right of me. I thought it was a swimmer with an orange cap at first but as we came closer together she turned left and I saw the full costume and gold cap and I knew then that it was Keri-anne Payne,” chuckled Erwee afterwards.
“I did relax a bit then but I looked behind me and saw Reece Kincaid. It was a hard race to the end and I just tried to give it my all.
“I'm quite pleased with myself. I had a good swim and I felt great in the water!” he added.
Krieger, a former top lifesaver on the Australian circuit, returned to South African shores recently and the 2014 Midmar Mile added to his already heightened appreciation of being on home turf once more.
“Ah man, I had such great fun out there today. I am so happy to be amongst South Africans again and to be involved in a great sport,” said Krieger.
“After being in Australia for 10 years, my main focus in every race is to prepare properly and give it my best go and I felt I did that today. Overall it was a really good swim. “There was a little bit of a chop on the water but the start went off well for me and I just want to compliment the sponsors and the organisation for putting on a great event!” he added.
The day’s early events also saw women’s pioneer Gail Bristow continue her record of having completed each and every Midmar Mile that has been open to female competitors while Martin Godfrey notched up official finish number forty-one.
“It was a bit of a surprise today. I normally try to make the top five every year, but this year was a nice one,” she said shortly after completing her 40th Midmar Mile.
“I think I put in more effort this year, knowing this was a milestone for me, and I thought maybe I should work a little bit harder for it and see how high I could get, which has paid off nicely for me in the end!” she added.
The aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place annually at the Midmar Dam, just outside Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
2014 aQuellé MIDMAR MILE
Girls 13 years and under
1.Tracy-Lea Meyer 22.33
2.Alice Edward 22.59
3.Asleigh Green 23.23
4.Tayla Sinclair 24.34
5.erika Esterhuizen 25.01
Women 31 years and older
1.Mandy Loots 24.13
2.Barbara Bowley 25.08
3.Sarah Ferguson 25.09
4.Ellen Hight 25.39
5.Hill Hanass-Hancock 25.40
Boys 13 years and under
1.Luke Erwee 21.46
2.Reece Kincaid 21.51
3.Dylan Cox 22.17
4.Cole Poovan 22.22
5.Dante Norjte 22.44
Men 31 years and older
1.Wade Krieger 21.50
2.Michael Phillips 22.22
3.Gary Albertyn 22.41
4.Brett Clark 23.00
5.Glen Gore 23.10
(Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media)