NEWS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 2010
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The Championships, which take place from the 1st – 8th October held biennially and are unique in that only people with Down syndrome compete. They compete in two categories: Trisomy 21 and Mosaic Down syndrome.
Jennifer Higgins (KZN ) as the top female swimmer in South Africa North West Province
The championships has grown over the years from the first competition held in Reading, England in 2002 where 6 countries participated with 54 swimmers, to 198 swimmers and 23 participating countries in Albufeira, Portugal in 2008. It is expected that more swimmers will be competing in Taiwan
All the swimmers in the National Down’s Team are registered with Swimming South Africa, train with “able bodied” swimming clubs and also compete in mainstream swimming competitions. This affords them the opportunities for regular training, integration and participation. These swimmers need the same commitment as all sports people to reach national representative level, from training to tenacity. But to get there they have to have that extra measure of determination. .Everyone takes their swimming very seriously and training diligently to take up the challenge in Taipei
Swimming for persons with Down syndrome has grown over the past 8 years, Standards have been raised and all this development has resulted in a new format in the Championships. In principal it incorporates 2 competitions within the Championships, namely an International Championships during the heats with the top eight swimmers going through to the evening’s finals or World Championships. SASA-II welcomed this format as it allows for participation from a broad base of swimmers in the International leg of the Championships, while the World Championship event caters for the top elite swimmers.
TEAM SOUTH AFRICA
Swimmers Men
Pieter Bell Western Province
Hannes De Klerk North West
Hylton Heggie KZN
Johan Hugo Western Province
Peter Lundy KZN
Jacques Nel Free State
Sean O’Neill Gauteng
Tyrone Rademeyer Gauteng
Swimmers Women
Donnee Dixon Western Province
Jennifer Higgins KZN
Mariza Holdt Western Province
Betty-Lou Miller Western Province
Management
General Manager Albert Warnick Western Province
Team Manager Barbara Higgins KZN
Asst. Team Manager Avril Farao Western Province
Head Coach Johno Ferguson KZN
Asst Coach Julia Legodi Gauteng
Contact: Barbara Higgins
Email: barbara@higgins.co.za
Cell: 084-6271251
EDITORS NOTE:
What is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is the medical term used for describing the collection of features that occur together, as a result of an extra chromosome (no 21) in the persons’ cells. It occurs by chance at conception and is irreversible. Persons with Down syndrome share characteristics in appearance and have varying degrees of physical and learning disabilities.
Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)
