HEROES’ WELCOME: SA Sevens U18 captain Heino Bezuidenhout, 18, and SA swimmer Kaylene Corbett, 16, are cheered at the PE Airport. Picture: MIKE HOLMES
TWO Nelson Mandela Bay high school pupils returned home to an ecstatic crowd yesterday after winning medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa.
Heino Bezuidenhout, 18, and Kaylene Corbett, 16, were greeted by parents, friends and even bystanders who all erupted into a chorus of cheers as the athletes stepped into the arrivals terminal just after noon.
Kaylene and Heino took part in the games in Apia earlier this month.
Kaylene shone in the pool, bagging four medals at the week-long tournament, including two silver medals (50m and 100m breaststroke) and two bronze (200m breaststroke, 4×100 freestyle relay).
The Pearson High Grade 10 pupil faced stiff competition.
“I did not expect to come home with a medal,” she said.
“I was hopeful of winning [one], but I definitely did not expect it.”
Daniel Pienaar matriculant Heino captained the Blitz Boks to Commonwealth gold after snatching a late 31-20 victory against Australia, having gone to the finals unbeaten.
“This is the highlight of my career,” he said.
“I have represented SA Schools twice, but winning this medal at such a high level of competition is just amazing.”
Meanwhile, Pearson Grade 11 pupil Hannah Werth, 16, flew the nation’s flag high at the EU U17 Nations Tournament in Prague, where her water polo team finished second early this month.
In the final, Team SA went down 14-13 to Slovakia on penalties.
She said finishing second was a great way to end the tournament.
WATER POLO STAR: Hannah Werth’s SA U17 team came second in Prague -
-Amir Chetty
The post Three from Bay shine overseas appeared first on HeraldLIVE.