{"id":69781,"date":"2025-04-07T23:36:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T21:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=69781"},"modified":"2025-04-07T23:36:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T21:36:58","slug":"free-state-hosted-an-epic-2025-sa-schools-swimming-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=69781","title":{"rendered":"Free State hosted an epic 2025 SA Schools Swimming Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Isabeau Coetsee of Western Cape Province with her medals. Photo: Eden Aquatics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2025 SA Schools Swimming Championships brought three action-packed days of elite youth swimming, hosted by the Free State Province at the Stadium Swimming Pool, Bloemfontein, from April 5th to 7th.<\/p>\n

This prestigious event brought together the best school-age swimmers from across the country, with all nine provinces represented in a spirited display of athletic excellence.<\/p>\n

A collaborative effort between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the event, attended by numerous MECs and provincial department heads, showcased the importance of school sports in developing future champions.
\nThe championship featured top swimmers aged 12 to 18, with heats and finals held daily. Only the top two swimmers per province advance from the heats to the finals, thus ensuring a high level of competition.<\/p>\n

The Para swimming events were proudly included, with athletes aged 12\u201319 competing in multiclass disability events \u2014 a celebration of inclusivity and talent and ensuring a fair and level playing field. Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) was on-site throughout the event to uphold clean sport standards.<\/p>\n

The young swimmers powered through, proving their resilience and determination despite extreme downpours, mild flooding, and a few lightning delays.<\/p>\n

This championship is steeped in legacy, with past participants like Pieter Coetze, Karin Prinsloo, Dune Coetzee, and Christopher Reid\u2014all Olympians\u2014still holding SA Schools records.<\/p>\n

Isabeau Coetsee of Western Cape starred in the Junior Victrix Ludorum with amazing results in both the individual and the team contests. In the individual events, Coetsee bagged six medals, five gold and one silver. In the relay, they scooped four medals, two silvers, one bronze, and one gold. Meanwhile, Noah Nice of Gauteng Province won four gold medals, one silver, and a bronze medal. His Gauteng relay team also won 4 gold medals.<\/p>\n

At the senior level, Leon Coetzer was the top para-swimming performer from the men\u2019s side, with Josephine Endres taking the top achiever for the female para swimmers. Top performers’ trophies for the able-bodied swimmers went to Janco Grobelaar and Monique Oosthuizen for the highest World Aquatics points scored.<\/p>\n

Leila Yazbek (U16) was crowned the SA U16 Champion in 6 events (100m fly, 100m free, 200 IM, 50m fly, and 50m free) at the SA Schools Swimming Championships held in Bloemfontein. Her 100m fly, 100m free, 200 IM, and 50m fly were also the fastest female swimmers, irrespective of the age groups. Leila had the second-quickest 100m breaststroke of all the swimmers. The cherry on top was being awarded the prestigious accolade of Senior Victrix Ludorum at SA Schools!<\/p>\n

RESULTS<\/strong>
\nMen’s and Women’s Medals
\n<\/strong>
\nGauteng – 138 medals ( G-65; S-44; B29)
\nKwaZulu Natal -113 ( G-32; S-36; B45)
\nWestern Cape \u2013 99 Medals (G-24; S-37; B-37)
\nFree State \u2013 75 Medals (G-24; S-26; B-25)
\nNorthwest \u2013 23 Medals (G-11; S-10; B-2)
\nEastern Cape \u2013 38 Medals (G-9; S-12; B-17)
\nNorthern Cape \u2013 20 Medals (G-8; S-4; B-8)
\nMpumalanga \u2013 15 Medals (G-5; S-3; B-7)
\nLimpopo \u2013 18 Medals (G-4; S-7; B-7)<\/p>\n

PARA<\/strong>
\nNew Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n5th April 2025
\n100m Backstroke S8 Men
\n
\nNew SA Para record<\/strong>
\nOld u14 SA record time – Joshua Grob – 1:54.56 – Gqeberha 2010
\nOld u14 SA record – Nhlakanipho Mabaso – 1:43.94 \u2013 Gqeberha \u2013 30th March 2025
\nNew u14 SA record – Nhlakanipho Mabaso – 1:39.74 \u2013 Bloemfontien \u2013 5th April 2025
\n100m Backstroke S7 Women
\n
\nNew SA Para record<\/strong>
\nOld u14 SA record – Londiwe Khumalo – 2:11.51 \u2013 Establish new SA record u14 \u2013 Gqeberha \u2013 30th March 2025
\nNew u14 SA record – Londiwe Khumalo – 2:05.97 – Bloemfontein – 5th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n6th April 2025 – Heat
\n100m Breaststroke SB8 Men
\nNew SA Para record
\nOld u14 SA record – William le Roux \u2013 2:06.75 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025
\nNew u14 SA record \u2013 Ntsikayethu Mtyobile \u2013 1:56.33 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025<\/p>\n

100m Breaststroke SB13 Men<\/strong>
\nNew SA Para record
\nOld u14 SA record \u2013 Van Tonder \u2013 1:44.20 – ? \u2013 1984
\nNew u14 SA record \u2013 Tiaan Terblanche \u2013 1:33.51 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n6th April 2025 \u2013 Final
\n100m Breaststroke SB8 Men
\nNew SA Para record
\nOld u14 SA record \u2013 Ntsikayethu Mtyobile \u2013 1:56.33 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025 – Heat
\nNew u14 SA record \u2013 Ntsikayethu Mtyobile \u2013 1:53.06 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025 \u2013 Final<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n6th April 2025 \u2013 Final
\n50m Butterfly S10 Men
\nOld u14 SA record \u2013 Leon Coetzer \u2013 33.12 – Durban \u2013 July 2023
\nNew u14 SA record – Leon Coetzer \u2013 32.24 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n6th April 2025 \u2013 Final
\n50m Butterfly S8 Men
\nOld u14 SA record \u2013 Christian Sadie \u2013 46.04 – ? \u2013 September 2011
\nNew u14 SA record – Ntsikayethu Mtyobile \u2013 45.98 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 6th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n7th April 2025 \u2013 Heat
\n50m Backstroke S10 Men
\nOld u14 SA record – Leon Coetzer \u2013 40.13 \u2013 Durban \u2013 December 2023
\nNew u14 SA record \u2013 Leon Coetzer \u2013 37.23 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 7th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n7th April 2025 \u2013 Heat
\n50m Backstroke S5 Men
\nOld Senior SA record \u2013 Moeketsi Adams \u2013 50.02 \u2013 Durban \u2013 April 2023
\nNew Senior SA record \u2013 Moeketsi Adams \u2013 48.91 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 7th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n7th April 2025 \u2013 Final
\n200m I.Medley SM8 Men
\nOld u14 SA record \u2013 Sebastian Crawford \u2013 4:48.70 – ? \u2013 January 2007
\nNew u14 SA record – Ntsikayethu Mtyobile \u2013 4:06.74 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013 7th April 2025<\/p>\n

New Para South Africa record<\/strong>
\n7th April 2025 \u2013 Final
\n50m Backstroke S7 Women
\nOld u14 SA record – Londiwe Khumalo – 1:03.23 \u2013 Establish new SA record u14 \u2013 Gqeberha \u2013 31st March 2025
\nNew u14 SA record \u2013 Londiwe Khumalo \u2013 59.65 \u2013 Bloemfontein \u2013\u00a07th\u00a0April\u00a02025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2025 SA Schools Swimming Championships brought three action-packed days of elite youth swimming, hosted by the Free State Province at the Stadium Swimming Pool, Bloemfontein, from April 5th to 7th. This prestigious event brought together the best school-age swimmers from across the country, with all nine provinces represented in a spirited display of athletic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":69784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/69784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}