25 April 2024
[Feature photo: Oliver Ludwig (left), Thomas Francke (middle), Thomas Aylward (right), of Kearsney College]
Two Kearsney College boys – Thomas Aylward and Thomas Francke – and Caleb Malumbete, of Clifton College, have been named in a 15-player squad, which will represent South Africa at the World Aquatics Men’s u16 Water Polo World Championships in Malta, from 18-24 June.
Kearsney is also represented among the non-travelling reserves by Oliver Ludwig, while Clifton’s Izah Roux is one of the five, too.
In the first term, Kearsney’s water polo programme made a big splash, with their 1st side capturing the honours at the Reef Cup and their u15 team winning the Indigo Cup to lay claim to being the number one side in their age group in South Africa.
The Indigo Cup spoke volumes about the quality coming through the ranks of the boys’ schools in KZN, with the province providing three of the top four finishers, which were, in order, Kearsney, Hilton College, Paul Roos Gymnasium and Clifton College.
Clifton also had Ross Strauss and Oliver Ditz named in the South African squad to contest the World Aquatics Men’s u18 Water Polo Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which takes place from 2-8 July. Rhees Hall, from Westville, was also included in the squad, along with Matthew Lortan, of Northwood. Westville’s Max Scully was named as one of the non-travelling reserves.
The u18 side will be managed by Clifton College’s Meryke Terblanche and coached by Glenwood High School‘s Rob Ambler, assisted by Siyabonga Guzana.
The u16 squad is dominated by players from the Western Cape, many of whom were top performers for their schools during a very busy first term, when the titles were shared around. Bishops won the SACS Nite League, SACS won the St Andrew’s College Shield, Rondebosch won the KES Water Polo Tournament, and Clifton captured the Vides‘ title.
The Western Cape contingent includes Tim Young (Bishops), Noah Reiback (Rondebosch), James Malan (Bishops), Ben Bigara (SACS), Alex Barrett (Wynberg), Matt Fenn (Bishops) and Dan Fisher (Rondebosch).
There are three players from Central Gauteng, namely Cooper Haworth (St David’s Marist Inanda), Troy Pasqualle (St Stithians College) and Matthew Cross (St Stithians), while Tiago Williams, from the Eastern Cape’s St Andrew’s College, was also included.
The coach is Kawkhona Ngwanya (WP). He will be assisted by Khanyisa Mpumlwana (EC), and the side will be managed by Thabang Madi (CG).
The World Championships will see a total of 32 countries in action. South Africa has been drawn in Group F, alongside Montenegro, Slovenia and Egypt. The Montenegrins finished fourth at the 2022 World Champs.
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