Ho faces battle for Midmar win No 8

Chad Ho will hope to win his eighth consecutive Mdmar Mile title in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands on Sunday. Photo: Reueters/Hannibal Hanschke

Chad Ho will hope to win his eighth consecutive Mdmar Mile title in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands on Sunday. Photo: Reueters/Hannibal Hanschke

Published Feb 11, 2017

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DURBAN - Once again, despite the

nation suffering from extreme drought, swimmers will flock like lemmings to the Midlands for the 44th edition of the aQuelle Midmar Mile with the star attraction being Sunday's 14-30 years girls’ and women’s race at 10.40am and the corresponding 14-30 years boys’ and men’s race at noon.

More than 12000 swimmers are expected for what is billed as the “World’s Largest Open Water Swimming Event” with eight major races on the programme, four on Saturday and four on Sunday.

Most of the interest will focus on the men’s race that will see Olympians Chad Ho of South Africa and Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands go head to head, the former aiming for an unprecedented eighth victory in succession and revenge for his defeat by Weertman in the Rio Olympics 10km open water swim marathon.

Weertman won this in an unbelievable sprint finish that saw Ho come in 10th, just five seconds off the pace.

Asked how he felt about getting revenge against Weertman, Ho said he was looking forward to the challenge, not only from the Dutch champion, but also from his Durban Action Swim Academy

training partner, Matthew Meyer, with Michael McGlynn, third last year, also in the frame.

“It certainly looks like it could be a three-horse race,” said Ho, recalling last year’s race when Meyer gave him one of the toughest races of his open water career by finishing a mere three seconds behind Ho in his new record of

17min 00sec for the one mile (1.61km) crossing.

Those who follow the fortunes of the Midmar Mile closely will remember that Meyer actually held the lead last year until just after the 1200m mark before Ho took over and Meyer went on to qualify and compete at the Rio Olympics, all in his matric year.

Another “dark horse” could materialise in the shape of US world champion Chip Peterson from North Carolina, who won gold in the 2005 World Championships in the 10km event.

Britain’s Keri-Anne Payne has already notched up eight Midmar Mile victories, having won in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.

Taking a peek at the women’s race we welcome back two-time Midmar winner Ashley Twichell, who has been in outstanding form lately and who will be aiming for a third gold medal.

Twichell finished second to British open water star Payne in her 2012 Midmar debut before returning to post two successive victories in 2013 and 2014, her 2013 win in a record 17:57.

Another American is Lexie Kelly who came out in 2014 and swam all eight miles, finishing in ninth position in the main women’s race. She has returned for a second attempt before flying to Cape Town for next weekend’s Sanlam Cape Mile.

Top British coach Sean Kelly, a regular Midmar visitor, has brought Holly Hibbott with him, who was second to Michelle Weber last year. Weber has apparently moved to Cape Town and is giving the Midmar Mile a miss this time around, as is Payne, the race all the poorer for their absence.

The aQuelle Midmar Mile prides itself in R2million raised for charities through the efforts of some 120 brave swimmers tackling all 8 miles over the two days, as well as 12 swimmers tackling the 16-mile journey by swimming to the start of each of the races.

The Independent on Saturday

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