Press Release 3: 5th Swimming World Championship - Taipei

NEWS RELEASE

OCTOBER 2010

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DOWN SYNDROME SWIMMING

South Africa has returned from a successful championships held in Taipei this week and were placed 2^nd overall to Australia at the 5th World Downs Swimming Championships.   164 swimmers from 21 countries took part in the championships.

Jennifer Higgins (KZN) won 5 individual gold medals and broke 3 world records (200 Backstroke, 200 Butterfly and 400 IM).   She currently holds 7 short course world records.   Tyrone Rademeyer (Gauteng) had a good meet, breaking 4 South African records. Tyrone bagged 4 championships medals - 2 Silver & 2 Bronze.    Other South African records were broken by Hylton Heggie from KZN (2); Johan Hugo (WP); Pietie Bell (WP) and Sean O’Neill from Gauteng (2).  Sean O’Neill received a Silver medal for 50m Freestyle.  Peter Lundy received 3 bronze medals in individual events. 

Hannes-Walt de Klerk faced tough competition in the Mosaic class - ending up with 4 Africa records.   Hannes-Walt bagged 2 Silver & 5 Bronze medals (mosaic).

The woman’s relay team did well medalling in all their events and setting new South African records.   The men’s relay teams   broke 3 world records and 3 South records. 

The next championships will take place in Loano, Italy in November 2012.

Contact:        Barbara Higgins

Email:            barbara@higgins.co.za

Cell:               084-6271251

Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)

Press Release 2 - Swimming World Champs for Persons with Down Syndrome

NEWS

SOUTH-AFRICAN SWIMMING TEAM COMPETING IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR PERSONS WITH DOWN SYNDROME IN TAIPEI

The National team has set off to Taipei, Taiwan on the 29^th September for the 5^th World Swimming Championship for persons with Down Syndrome.  The 12 member team came to Taipei with high hopes of matching or even improving their previous performances of Albufeira, Portugal 2008. 

The championship, currently in its final day at the Shongshan Sport Centre, has not disappointed the capacity crowd of supporters.  The 164 swimmers will try their utmost in the final leg to push up the medal tally of there respective countries. 

Team South-Africa has done very well in the past 3 days against some tough opposition from Australia and Great Britain. 

The teams’ medal tally is as follows:

            INDIVIDUAL MEDALS

            3 Gold (Jennifer Higgins, KZN)

            3 Silver (Tyrone Rademeyer - 2, Hannes Walt de Klerk - 1)

5 Bronze (1- Peter Lundy, 3- Hannes Walt de Klerk, 1 – Tyrone Rademeyer)

            RELAY MEDALS

            3 Gold (2 Men & 1 Women)

            2 Silver (1 Men & 1 Women)

            2 Bronze (1 Men & 1 Women)

            RELAY RECORDS:

            Men World Record: – 3

            Men South-African Record: 3

            Women South-African Record: 4

                         

            INDIVIDUAL RECORDS:

World record: Jennifer Higgins (2) from Kwazulu-Natal, has broken the 400 Individual Medley and 200 Butterfly events

6 South African Records - 100 & 200 Backstroke, 50 Butterfly   - Tyrone Rademeyer (Gauteng)

50 & 100 Breaststroke -  Hylton Heggie (KZN)

200 Breaststroke - Johan Hugo (Western Cape)

200 Individual Medley   - Pietie Bell (Western Cape)

Today will be the last day of competition.   Team South-Africa is to jet into OR Tambo on Saturday, 9 October 2010.

Compiled by: 

Barbara Higgins (Team Manager)

Edited by:

Albert Warnick (General Manager & SASA II PRO)

Email: warnam@gmail.com

Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)

5th Swimming World Champs for Persons with Down Syndrome

NEWS RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 2010

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NATIONAL DOWNS SYNDROME SWIMMING TEAM TO JET OFF TO 5th WORLD CHAMPS IN TAIWAN

On the 29^th September, the 12 members of the National Downs Syndrome Swimming team will jet off from O R Tambo International Airport for the 5^th  World Downs Swimming Championships in Taipei, Taiwan

The Championships, which take place from the 1^st – 8^th 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 will be defending her 6 World Short Course Records.  Pieter Bell, Western Cape holds the  25m Butterfly World Record and Sean O’Neil, Gauteng, 25m Freestyle World Records. Hannes-Walt de Klerk (Mosaic Down syndrome) from North West Province will be in top form, defending his 5 Mosaic World Records.  Both the male and female relay teams are serious medal contenders and the Male A relay team will be defending their 3 World Records.

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 this year.  

 

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

Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)

5th World Swimming Championship for Persons with Down Syndrome - Taiwan

NEWS RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 2010

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NATIONAL DOWNS SYNDROME SWIMMING TEAM TO JET OFF TO 5th WORLD CHAMPS IN TAIWAN

On the 29^th September, the 12 members of the National Downs Syndrome Swimming team will jet off from O R Tambo International Airport for the 5^th  World Downs Swimming Championships in Taipei, Taiwan

The Championships, which take place from the 1^st – 8^th 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 will be defending her 6 World Short Course Records.  Pieter Bell, Western Cape holds the  25m Butterfly World Record and Sean O’Neil, Gauteng, 25m Freestyle World Records. Hannes-Walt de Klerk (Mosaic Down syndrome) from North West Province will be in top form, defending his 5 Mosaic World Records.  Both the male and female relay teams are serious medal contenders and the Male A relay team will be defending their 3 World Records.

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 this year.  

 

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)

5th INAS FID World Football Championship - South-Africa

As per the promise made am i now reporting on the last few matches' results.    I have included the following links to the full match reports of the semi-finals and the finals.

FULL SET OF RESULTS:
http://www.inas-fid.org/WFCresults.html

MATCH 27: SEMI-FINAL 1:-
Poland: 2
Saudi-Arabia: 4
http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCHREPORT-GAME27.pdf

MATCH 28: SEMI-FINAL 2:-
Netherlands: 6
Portugal 2

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCH_REPORT-_GAME_28.pdf

FINALS:-
SAUDI-ARABIA: 1
NETHERLANDS:0

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCHREPORT-GAME30.pdf

A final report of the championship will follow.

Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)

5th INAS FID World Football Championships News - Update

The competition is getting into its final phases now and surely heating up. Team SA has moved through the initial phases of the competition. My first thought was, will Team SA equal or better Germany 2006? What ever happens or should i say has happened, our boys have done us proud.  Have a look at the results, and you be the judge.

Herewith are the results link to matches 11-13.

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCHREPORT-GAME11.pdf

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCHREPORT-GAME12.pdf

http://www.inas-fid.org/documents/MATCHREPORT-GAME13.pdf

Match 14:
RSA 5 - Portugal 1

Match 15:
Poland 14 - South Korea 0

Match 16:
Japan 3 - Turkey 3

Match 17:
Poland 2 - France 0

Match 18 - Round 2:- OMS
Grp A Runner up - RSA 2
Grp C Winner - Netherlands 5

Match 19:
Grp A Third Place - Portugal 3
Grp C Runner up - Germany 2

Match 23 - Round 3:- 5 September 2010, 15h00pm, OMS
Loser Match 18 - RSA
Loser Match 19 - Germany

SEMI-FINAL - 8 September 2010, 15h00pm, OMS
Poland vs Saudi Arabia
Netherlands vs Portugal

FINAL - 11 September 2010 - Peter Mokaba Stadium - 14h00pm

So what do you think?  Let me know how you feel our boys have done?  I would love to know your views.

A final report on the championship will follow soon.  Watch this space.

Next Major Championships:

• 
  
  FIRST WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME, 7-12 September 2010, Hosting Country: Mexico, http://www.iaads.info/index.html
• MARATHON: 23 - 27 SEPTEMBER , Details to follow
• 
  
  WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPS FOR PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME, TAIWAN, Details to follow

News to follow shortly after Finals of WFC









Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)

5th INAS FID World Football Championships News

Believe it or not - but South-Africa is at it again.  Yes, South-Africa, are  hosting the World Football Championship.  More specifically, the 5th INAS FID World Football Championship.  The Championship has kicked off in the Limpopo Province, on the 23 August 2010 and will continue until the 11 September 2010.  Poland tipped RSA with a score of 3-2.  We trust and hope that the remainder of the competition will be better for Team SA.
Herewith are the results of matches 1-10.

Results from Match 1 - 10:

• RSA (2) vs Poland (3)
• Netherlands (4) vs Hungary (2)
• Germany (8) vs Turkey (1)
• Saudi- Arabia (8) vs France (0)
• South-Korea (0) vs Portugal (12)
• Netherlands (4) vs Germany (0)
• Turkey (2) vs Hungary (3)
• Saudi-Arabia (4) vs Japan (0)
• RSA (15) vs South Korea (0)
• Poland (3) vs Portugal (0)

Link to results:
http://www.inas-fid.org/

I will try to keep you posted as the championship unfolds.  Results can be viewed on the INAS FID website. I will be failing in my duty if i haven't congratulated all the relevant roleplayers that have made this competition possible.  Well done, and thank you for showing the world what South-Africa can do.

Edited by: Albert Warnick (SASA II - PRO)