2018-01-12Staff Report 2 Strauss Lunyangwe Swakopmund-A total of 35 swimmers from across the country and South Africa attended the Gerhard Zandberg training camp at Swakopmund last weekend. The camp was organized by Dentie Louw of Swakopmund Swimming Club for the second time. Zandberg retired from competitive swimming in 2013 after becoming the 50m backstroke world champion in 2007, which he added to the bronze medal he won in the same race at the 2003, 2009 and 2011 world championships. T hree local clubs participated in the training camp –Aqua Swimming & Fitness, Dolphins Swimming and Swakopmund Swimming Club – and notable swimmers in action were Jose Conjulo, Mikah Burger, Ariana Naukushu and swimming sensation Eliphas Nakaleke. Last year, the eight-year-old Nakalele tumbled the short course-four gala record by 41.3 seconds and later improved his time at the second Bank Windhoek long course gala, shattering his own record in the 50m fly category. According to Sport Commissioner Peter Wilson, such training camps and initiatives are very much needed since they provide great opportunities to swimmers to improve their skills as well socialize with other swimmers apart from competing. The more experienced swimmers profited immensely from the training camp, sharing a lot of expertise and knowledge with the young and upcoming athletes. Zandberg was happy with the overall standard of local swimmers, notably during the just ended festive season. He urged clubs to start conducting these type of camps to expose swimmers to different kinds of techniques. The former Olympic swimmer divided the swimmers into two groups, consisting of senior and junior teams, allowing kids to engage in various swimming tactics. He noted that the fact that the kids have various codes they partake in, they should concentrate more on what their coaches teach them. “I’m just here to upgrade their skills in the water.” 2018-01-12Staff Report 2
