adminand Chad le Clos are considered strong contenders to break the 2008 medal drought in the Beijing pool.
Despite a respected swimming tradition with the likes of multi-Olympians Penny Heyns and Ryk Neethling, the swimming team didn’t walk to the podium once and the country returned home with just one medal.
But Van der Burgh (24), a current world record holder in breaststroke, is determined to bring back gold and fulfil a childhood dream.
“We want to nail it. We know we have the opportunity. Now we just have to make sure the hard work and effort we put in will pay off,” he said.
“I’m feeling really excited,” the cheerful finance student from the University of Pretoria said of his prospects in the 100-metre breaststroke. Even a break-in at his home in Pretoria didn’t dampen his excitement. Housebreakers stole the medals he won at the world championships just before he left for Europe and his final preparations.
“But I gotta keep positive,” he said.
Touted as Africa’s only home-grown swimming world record-holder, Van der Burgh stayed on with South Africa’s former head coach Dirk Lange after the team’s dismal performance in Beijing. — AFP.
Online Reporter
- Herald
- July 31, 2026
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