Durban — Four Danville Park Girls’ High School pupils are representing KwaZulu-Natal in the 2023 DHL SA National Lifesaving Championships which will end on Wednesday next week.
Jade Brown, Valma-Jean Hockly, Jaedyn Smith and Kayleigh Smith travelled to Gqeberha to participate.
Grade 12 pupil Jade, 18, said she was looking forward to representing the province once again at a national level. She will be competing at her third national championship and hoped to draw on that experience.
“This year, I look forward to achieving the best results possible, as I have put in more training time than any of my previous years, for this competition. I am exactly where I want to be regarding my fitness level as well as my skills and techniques.” Jade said she started lifesaving in 2017, due to her friends’ encouragement.
“How I have prepared for this competition is that I’ve gone to every training session required. I’ve put in more time and effort into my own training. I focused on having a balanced diet.
“I’ve gone to multiple physiotherapy sessions for my muscles, I’ve had ice baths and I have a new sprinting coach who helps me with techniques and encourages me to have a positive, competitive and focused attitude.”
Jade’s coach, Paul Herbert, believes Jade will do well and calls her a “quiet achiever”.
He said he expects a podium in the beach flags discipline.
Grade 12 pupil Valma-Jean Hockly said the reason she started lifesaving was because of her love for the ocean. Valma-Jean, 17, said she attends regular training sessions at her lifesaving club with different coaches training for different lifesaving disciplines. She also goes to the gym twice a week and runs often.
“I will participate in the ski boat, double ski, board race, iron woman, long run and team relays. I always try my best to podium in as many events as I can and collect points for my club for the overall club tally by competing in team events,” said Valma-Jean.
“Iron woman involves swimming around the buoys, mali boarding around the buoys and paddling a ski around the buoys consecutively in one race, with running changeovers in between. This is the blue ribbon event of lifesaving as it requires fitness and all-around skill.”
Grade 11 pupil Kayleigh Smith, 16, and Grade 9 pupil Jaedyn Smith, 14, are sisters who will also represent the school. Both will be making their third national appearance together, having previously represented in 2021 and 2022.
Jaedyn said her goal in this championship is to win a medal in either the long run or sprints.
Her older sister said her goal is to accumulate as many points as possible as her lifesaving club does not have as many competitors in this year’s competition.
“Lifesaving is a fun and healthy sport where you get to meet new and inspiring people,” said Kayleigh.
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