10 February 2023
Westville Boys’ High’s Chad le Clos Pool was the venue for the annual Nestor Pierides Gala on the evening of Friday, 10 February, with some of South Africa’s best schoolboy swimming teams in action in 26 relay events.
The hosts did their former Headmaster, after whom the gala is named, and who did so much to promote swimming at the school, proud by dominating with their admirable depth through all strokes and in all age groups.
They won 19 of the 26 races, and it should have been 20, but they were disqualified from one event, which they would have won handily, had it not been for a false start.
Dominance in younger age groups
The Griffin were absolutely dominant in the under-14 age group, winning every relay – freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and the medley. And it was the same story in the under-15 age group. Those 10 victories suggest there are many more good years to come for Westville swimming.
Again, at under-16 level, Westville claimed a full house of victories, but they were certainly tighter than in the two younger age groups. In the backstroke, they almost lost it on a bad turn with just 25 metres of the short course pool left to swim, but they, nonetheless, finished strongly to snatch victory.
In the butterfly, they were neck-and-neck with Saint Benedict’s, but, once more, edged it at the finish. And the Johannesburg school pushed Westville all the way in the medley relay, but the Griffin held on for the win.
Fiercely contested
The under-17 age group was the most fiercely contested of the night. DHS opened up with a win in the freestyle, but Westville managed to sneak in ahead of the Durbanites in the breaststroke. In the backstroke, the order was Saint Benedict’s DHS, Westville. That finished was repeated in the butterfly. Finally, in the medley, DHS claimed the win ahead of Bennies and Westville.
At under-19 level, it was Westville for the win in the freestyle, but Grey College placed first in the breaststroke, in the aforementioned race that the hosts would have won had it not been for a false start.
Westville returned to winning ways in the backstroke, but Saint David’s Marist Inanda captured the butterfly ahead of Saint Benedict’s and Westville. Then it was the turn of the hosts to win again, with a victory in the medley relay.
Final say
The final say on the evening, however, went to Bennies, who powered to an impressive win in the 5 x 50 metre freestyle relay, featuring one swimmer from each age group in action. Westville placed second.
Nonetheless, Westville coach Petro Nortje, once the leading all-round South African swimmer of her generation, must have been pleased with the all-round performance of her charges. It was clear from very early on that the Griffin were going to own the day.
In the final standings, Westville Boys’ High, Saint Benedict’s, Grey College, and Durban High School separated themselves from the rest.
Spare a thought, though, for Maritzburg College, who finished sixth, but would have finished fifth if one of their swimmers didn’t, very unfortunately, suffer cramp on the opening leg of the under-19 backstroke relay.
At the conclusion of the swimming, Westville Headmaster Graham Steele thanked the schools, parents, families, coaches and swimming officials for their contributions to a very successful evening.
Rain had threatened to disrupt proceedings, but if there were some people who opted to stay at home their numbers appeared to be very small as the stands surrounding the Chad le Clos Pool were packed with supporters from far and wide. Their decision to attend the gala was well rewarded by an entertaining evening of excellent swimming.
FINAL STANDINGS
Westville Boys’ High A 287
Saint Benedict’s College 253
Grey College 242
Durban High School 229
Saint David’s Marist Inanda 168
Maritzburg College 164
Westville Boys’ High B 151
Northwood School 147
Kearsney College 137
Glenwood High 89
Clifton College 76
Leave a Reply