The stories on this website reflect some of the history of swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming in southern Africa. The countries - South Africa, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, Northern Rhodesia/Zambia and South West Africa/Namibia have competed in these events since the late 19th century, with the South African Amateur Swimming Union (SAAASU) joining the world body FINA in 1909. Much of the history is unknown or lost, as today few remember that the first foreign sportsmen to win scholarships to American universities were South African male swimmers in the 1950's, or that the youngest person ever to break a senior world record (in any sport) was, and still is, Karen Muir of Kimberley, coached by Frank Gray. The objective of this website is to publish those stories, and the remember the people who made them. Please check our Guestbook for other visitors, and leave us your name and comments.
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Photogalleries |  |
Champions in exile |  |
SAASU |
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Articles |  |
Coaches |  |
Northern Rhodesia |
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Records and Results |  |
Families in the swim |  |
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Early years of SA Swimming |  |
Open Water swimming |  |
Provinces in southern Africa |
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Water Polo |  |
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Books and magazines |
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Swimming |  |
Synchro |  |
Pools and Places |
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Diving |  |
Swim South Africa |  |
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SA Swemmer/Swimmer | ||||
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Recent Updates: Photo Album of Jeantte Kriek (WTvl) | |||||
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SOUTH AFRICAN TEENAGE SWIMMER BREAKS WORLD RECORD. 23 Jul 1966 Story: A 17-YEAR-OLD SOUTH AFRICAN - ANN FAIRLIE - BROKE THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE WOMEN'S 100 METRES BACKSTROKE AT BEZIERS, IN FRANCE TODAY (SATURDAY) WITH A TIME OF ONE MINUTE 7.4 SECONDS. ANN FAIRLIE CLIPPED THREE-TENTHS OF A SECOND OFF THE EXISTING RECORD WHICH WAS SET UP BY AN AMERICAN GIRL -- CATHY FERGUSON -- AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN TOKYO IN 1964 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
13-YEAR-OLD GIRL SETS SWIMMING RECORD 25 Jul 1966 : A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM SOUTH AFRICA, KAREN MUIR, YESTERDAY (MONDAY) BROKE THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE WOMEN'S 200 METRES BACKSTROKE. HER TIME OF 2 MINUTES 27.1 SECONDS LOPPED THREE-TENTHS OF A SECOND OFF THE OLD RECORD SET BY AMERICAN KATHY FERGUSON LOS ANGELES IN SEPTEMBER, 1964. KAREN WAS SWIMMING ON THE FINAL DAY OF A THREE-DAY INTERNATIONAL MEETING AT BEZIERS, IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. IT WAS THE SECOND RECORD BY A SOUTH AFRICAN GIRL AT THE MEETING. ON SATURDAY, ANN FAIRLIE LOWERED THE WORLD 100 METRES BACKSTROKE RECORD TO ONE MINUTE 7.4 SECONDS. |
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The history of competitive water sports in southern Africa
VIDEO - July 1966 - Beziers, France - Two World Records in three days by South African girls
