Counting down to South African Trials

The international swimming schedule is about to kick off and F-Teamers around the world are vying for a chance to represent their nation. South African F-Teamer Lara van Niekerk doesn’t want 2022 to be a year where she remains at home. To book her ticket, she'll need to put down super fast times at the upcoming South African Nationals, which will be held from the 6th-11th April in Gqeberha, Port Elizabeth.

Not only is the SA Nationals the qualifying gala for the Commonwealth Games, but also the World Champs, the World University Games and the African Games. Lara is primed and determined to qualify for Worlds and the Comm Games. “I am swimming the 50m and 100m Breaststroke, as well as the 50m Butterfly and 50m Freestyle in Gqeberha,”she said.

At the age of just 18, she has already made an incredible mark in the swimming world. Lara has broken the African region record in both the long and short course 50m Breaststroke, and became the first African woman under the 30-second barrier. “I recently swam a SA record in the 100m Breaststroke in a 1:06.54, which is a time that would’ve been a 2020 Olympic A-qualifying time.”

South African Tatjana Schoenmaker set the world alight at the Tokyo Olympics not only claiming the gold but also breaking the 200m Breaststroke world record. She claimed South Africa’s only two swimming medals in Tokyo (also in the 100m Breaststroke). With Lara on the rise in the sprint events, this South African duo is proving to be a deadly pair moving towards Paris.

Based out of a small club in Pretoria, she owes some of her success to the positive atmosphere and “pushing each other” nature of her squad. A hectic training schedule of swimming from 16:30 to 19:00 Monday through Saturday, as well as morning swimming and solo gym, is what fuels her success. “At PAC we all get along so well and push each other to be better. I have the best teammates,” proving that swimming isn’t entirely an individual sport.

A self-acclaimed “foodie” and family person, it appears that Lara likes to enjoy the finer things in life. With the world at her feet we are excited to see what 2022 and this Olympic cycle holds for the teenager. Keep up to date with Lara's swimming successes via her socials @lara_vn_