Dean Price predicts blockbuster SA Nationals as swimming elite battle for selection

The SA Senior National Swimming Championships takes place from 14-18 April at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha and with this being a Commonwealth Games year Price has promised a 100 percent turnout of the country’s elite swimmers.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Price says he is looking forward to the competition because often in events there is usually one person who holds a top position in an event whereas now it has increased to three or four vying for the same position.

“We have our SA Nationals starting tomorrow in Port Elizabeth and I think it’s going to be a very good Nationals, a very exciting Nationals. I think all of South Africa is going to be watching the swimming,” said Price

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“It’s not often that we have every top swimmer competing at our Nationals. Sometimes in, I would say, a non-major year, just maybe 20 percent of our top swimmers come out. I think Olympic and Commonwealth years are the two years that we have 100 percent turnout of our elite swimmers and we’ve got them out this year for the Commonwealth Games.”

“So I think swimming is going  to be fantastic. Having chatted to all the top swimmers, they’re all excited, they’re all in good shape and we’re looking to have some really great swims and great races because often in the events we usually would have one person. Now we have three or four swimmers in the same events vying for that top position.

Price added that the Nationals will be used to select the Commonwealth Games team as well as the team that would represent South Africa at the Pan-Pacific Games. He added that the Pan-Pacific Games will help get a feeling of how the Olympics will be in two year’s time.

With many South African swimmers yet to experience competing in the United States, Price said that one of the biggest challenges in preparing for The Olympic Games in 2028 isn’t just the competition itself, but the drastic time differences hence they want to send a strong team to the Pan-Pacific games to acclimatise to conditions in California.