Bekker makes swimming waves
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday August 7, 2020 12:24
Despite his tender age, the 17-year-old Maru-A-Pula student told Mmegi Sport that he has been swimming competitively for almost 11 years. He is part of the Botswana Junior National team.
“I first started swimming in pre-school, where we would go and practice water safety, but I started training with a club when I was about six years old. My brother, Zinhle, began swimming with the club before me and I guess he was the reason I wanted to start swimming as well,” he said.
His older sibling encouraged him to, like a duck, take to water. “I wanted to be like him and do the same things that he was doing, so I think that is what first attracted me to the sport of swimming,” he said.
Bekker got his big break in 2015 when he was selected to represent Botswana at the CANA Zone Three and Four Championships in Luanda, Angola.
“I was 12-years-old and being selected to the team was extremely exciting for me. It was something I was always hoping for, but I do not think I really understood what it meant,” he said.
The Form Five student said looking back now, he appreciates what it meant and it was the beginning of a long journey ahead. Bekker had good competition clocking Personal Best (PB) in all his races. He won four medals, three bronze and a silver.
“In swimming, we do not necessarily have categories, but instead we put things into different strokes (freestyle or front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley). At that competition, I swam all four strokes over several distances and I also swam a few relays with other people of my age group. I swam 14 events and the team came in fourth,” Bekker said. His biggest achievement was when he competed at the FINA World Junior Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2019.
Bekker said it was an eye-opening experience for him. At 16 years, he had an opportunity to see the best youth swimmers in the world all competing at the same stage.
“I swam well and got my PBs in most events, but I think the biggest take away for me was being able to see and make a debut at such a high level,” he added. In February, Bekker was a force to reckon with during the CANA Championships at the UB.
“Competing on home soil is always very exciting for me as my family and friends are all there to watch me swim, and of course having all the support from the locals too. We prepared for the competition just like any other. Training as hard as we could everyday whilst making sure we stay injury-free,” he said.
Bekker said they trained at the UB swimming pool, which made him to be comfortable swimming in a long course (50 metres) before the competition.
“Overall, the experience was good because I got to enjoy support from the public and my fellow teammates. By the way, the gala was on my birthday, which made it extra special,” he said.
Bekker scooped 10 medals, three gold, five silver and two bronze medals.
He said such competitions are always fun because he gets an opportunity to meet his friends from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius.
Regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Bekker said he has not been able to swim properly for about two months.
“I did what I could do at home, using a rubber stretch cord attached to a pillar, so that I could swim in my swimming pool at home. I also did squats, push ups and pull ups. Fortunately, training resumed and it was great to get in the pool again as well as the gym,” he said.
However, Bekker has been focusing on school examinations forcing him to cut on his training schedule. The Gaborone-born swimmer said he does not have any hobbies anymore outside of the pool.
“I tend to just study whenever I could, or I would be watching some videos on YouTube and messaging my friends,” Bekker said.
FACT FILE
Full Names: Andile Bekker
Date Of Birth: February 21, 2003
Place of birth: Gaborone
Sporting code: Swimming
Biggest achievement: FINA world Junior Championships debut
Club: Darrel Morton School of Swimming (DMSS)