South Africa’s young and talented canoeists are preparing for the ICF Canoe Sprint Junior and Under 23 World Championships in Auronzo, Italy, starting on Wednesday. Led by Kwanda Mzolo, a gold medallist at the African Beach Games, the team includes the top male and female junior and U23 athletes.
Kwanda Mzolo Leads the Team
Mzolo, who won a recent surfski event at the African Beach Games in Tunisia, is participating in four events during the five-day championships. He and Sandile Mtolo will compete in the U23 1,000m K2 heats on Wednesday, followed by the 500m K2 on Thursday. Later that day, Mzolo will partner with Alexa Godden for the mixed 500m heats. He will conclude his pursuit of World Championship glory in the 5,000m K1 on Sunday.
Team Members and Their Events
Mtolo will participate in three events, ending his program by partnering with Godden in the 5,000m mixed relay event. Godden will also compete in the U23 women’s 200m K1 race. Helen Janse van Vuuren will compete in three K1 events over 500m, 1,000m, and 5,000m. Unfortunately, Callam Davis had to withdraw from the U23 squad due to a severe thumb injury sustained while unpacking his boat.
Amy Duffett will be the first South African team member to take to the water, competing in the second heat of the championships in the junior women’s 200m K1 event. She will also partner with Kerry Elliott in the 500m K2 and compete in the penultimate regatta event on Sunday in the junior 5,000m K1. Elliott will also team up with Daniel Smit in the junior 5,000m K1 mixed relay. Smit will then partner with Theo Dreyer in the two junior men’s K2 events over 500m and 1,000m. Dreyer’s third event will be the championships’ final event, the junior men’s 5,000m K1. Caitlyn Evans and Jordan Klopper are competing in both the junior K1 500m and 1,000m events for women and men, respectively, and will collaborate in the junior mixed 500m K2 event.
The South African Team
The South African U23 and Junior Sprint Team includes:
Junior Women: Amy Duffett, Caitlyn Evans, and Kerry Elliott
Junior Men: Jordan Klopper, Theo Dreyer, and Daniel Smit
U23 Women: Helen Jansen van Vuuren and Alexa Godden
U23 Men: Kwanda Mzolo and Sandile Mtolo
Visit www.canoesa.org.za for more information.
