Maties Canoe Club development paddlers, who have represented South Africa at the World Junior Championships in Ireland and the African Championship in Gauteng, are now vying for selection to the national team for the 2024 World Championships in China.
“Our two eldest canoe polo players Camurin Abrahams (18) and Dale Pretorius (17) stand a fair chance of being selected into the u-21 national team during the upcoming National Canoe Polo training and selection camp in December,” said coach professor Susannne Fietz.
“Taking into account that both of them were already awarded SA national federation colours after their participation at the World Junior Canoe Polo Championships in Belfast, Ireland in July this year, it makes them good contenders for the China trip.”
The dedication of Fietz, a professor at Stellenbosch University’s Earth Sciences Department, is paying off, judging by the overall results of her training group.
In March last year they won the SA Canoe Polo Championships’ u-18 as a mixed team with players from Peninsula Canoe Club. In Ireland, Abrahams and Pretorius represented the national junior u-18A team, while Keeshia Lackay played in the national junior u-18 girls’ team and then 13-year-old Romano Lackay played in the national u-16 team that won the Silver League. Romano was the youngest squad member, while Abrahams was selected as the captain of the u-18A team.
All four were awarded federation colours for their participation at the world championships.
In September, Abrahams, Pretorius and Keeshia participated in the African Championships in Johannesburg. Abrahams was selected for the SA u-21A team, Pretorius represented the SA u-21B team and Keeshia played for the u-21 women’s team. Romano was invited, but he could not participate.
Abrahams again received federation colours for his participation.
“We are really impressed with the results achieved by the development team, so much so that we will also provide coach Susanne with interns to supplement her excellent work with her group of paddlers,” said Karen Swart, Maties Canoe Club’s sport manager.
The club’s development group of some 20 paddlers, some as young as eight years old, attend up to three weekly training sessions under the supervision of Fietz and compete in all local and national championships as far as funding allows them.
