Buffalo City swimmer and Stirling High School matriculant Matthew Pretorius has made waves at the SA Senior National Championships, held from April 9-13, by earning standout results in the highly competitive open division — a category beyond his age group.
Representing Team Eastern Cape Aquatics (ECA), Pretorius qualified for two B finals at the championships. In the 50m freestyle, he clocked an impressive 23.67 seconds, placing 11th overall in the open division and second in his age group. In the 50m butterfly, he finished 10th overall and third in his age group, with a time of 25 seconds.
He also placed 18th in the 100m freestyle (52.92) and 20th in the 100m butterfly (56.71) during prelims — demonstrating strong consistency and potential against older, more experienced swimmers.
Pretorius contributed to Team ECA’s relay efforts too, swimming:
- 53.39 in the men’s 4x100m freestyle (sixth place),
- 53.09 in the mixed 4x100m freestyle (fifth place),
- 23.51 in the men’s 4x50m freestyle (seventh place), and
- 53.16 in the men’s 4x100m medley (sixth place).
Despite the demanding schedule and the pressures of his matric year, Matthew is determined to perform at his best.
He is now preparing for the SA National Junior (SANJ) Championships in Cape Town from April 25-29.
Reflecting on his journey so far, he said: “Keeping your eye on set goals, and God as the driver — nothing is impossible.”
