Samuel Booysen will be hoping to translate youth dominance to senior supremacy when he arrives on the Gold Coast as one of South Africa’s leading lights at the Lifesaving World Championships in August.
The 19-year-old speedster set the sand alight at Riccione when took out the National Youth Teams Flags and was top four in the sprint.
Two years on, Booysen is into the Open team, and following in the footsteps of Ryle de Mornay who was second in the Flags in 2022 and third in the Sprint.
De Mornay’s efforts in Italy helped South Africa to third on the Open Ocean pointscore and eighth overall, with potential to move up the rankings this year.
South Africa’s other Youth speedster from Riccione – Jenna Tarr – has been selected in the Open team. The 2022 East London Lifesaver of the Year specialises in the Beach Flag and Sprints, and the Veterinary student will be looking to improve on her international exploits with a solid showing on the Gold Coast.
Another athlete returning on the Youth team is Georgia Singe from the Fish Hoek club which has supplied eight of the 24-strong South African team.
Singe finished fourth in the Youth Ocean Woman in 2022, fifth in the Board and showed her versatility as part of the second placed beach relay team.
She was joined in that team by Savannah Voigt and Tarr who have both been selected for the Open Team.
Naor Lombard has elevated from the 2022 Youth Team to the 2024 Open team, a talented paddler who won the Youth Surf Ski race in Italy and finished third in the OceanMan, while Aiden Borman also moves from Youth to Open.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN TEAM
Samuel Booysen (Clifton), Aiden Bornman (Boksburg), Caitlyn Brouckaert (Fish Hoek), Matthew Coetzer (Fish Hoek), Christian Davidson (Summerstrand), Kendra du Toit (Mandeville), Naor Lombard (Clifton), Waris Mills (Fish Hoek), Antonie Pieterse (Harties), Holly Smith (Fish Hoek), Jenna Tarr (East London), Savannah Voigt (Clifton).
SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH TEAM
Eve Abrahams (Fish Hoek), Wayde Beukes (Fish Hoek), Matthew Brading (Fish Hoek), Dayne Deeble (Durban Surf), Rebecca Fury (Clifton), Nicola Harcus (Woodridge), Jake Hutton (Big Bay), Luc O’Brien (Pirates), Georgia Singe (Fish Hoek), Tyne van Achterbergh (Scottburgh), Christiaan van Eeden (Harties), Keira van Heerden (Summerstrand)
The Lifesaving World Championships 2024 is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
Image: Deepblue Media
