KNYSNA NEWS - From the swimming pools of Knysna to the podium at the Commonwealth Games, Aimee Canny continues to prove that she belongs among South Africa's elite swimmers.
This 22-year-old, who was born and raised in Knysna and attended Oakhill School, returned from the recent Commonwealth Games with an impressive collection of five medals.
Canny claimed two individual silver medals in the women's 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley, before adding another silver in the women's 4x100m medley relay. She also collected bronze medals in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay and the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
One of the highlights of the games came in the 100m breaststroke final, when Canny pushed Scotland's Angharad Evans all the way in front of a passionate home crowd. Evans touched the wall just 0.12 seconds ahead of the Knysna swimmer in a thrilling finish that ranked among the closest races of the championships.
Canny's performances further cement South Africa's proud tradition in women's breaststroke swimming at the Commonwealth Games. She joins an illustrious list of South African medallists that includes Penny Heyns, Sarah Poewe, Tatjana Smith, Kaylene Corbett and Lara van Niekerk.
South Africa enjoyed another successful campaign in the pool as the team improved on its medal haul from the previous Commonwealth Games. Leading the charge was the 22-year-old Pieter Coetzé, who confirmed his place among the world's finest backstroke swimmers by completing a remarkable clean sweep of the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events.
He won three gold medals and set six Commonwealth Games records, while his winning time of 51.77 seconds in the 100m backstroke fell just 0.17 seconds short of the world record.
Veteran Chad le Clos also added another chapter to his remarkable career, becoming the most decorated swimmer in Commonwealth Games history when he won his 21st medal as part of South Africa's bronze medal-winning men's 4x100m medley relay team.
Canny's achievements will be especially celebrated in her home town, where she first discovered her love of swimming before pursuing her career in the United States.
During a visit to Knysna earlier this year, while preparing for the Commonwealth Games, Canny told Knysna-Plett Herald that after completing her studies in business economics in America, she hopes to turn professional and discover just how far she could go in the sport.
If her performances at these Common-wealth Games are anything to go by, the future looks exceptionally bright. With the 2028 Olympic Games firmly on the horizon, the talented Knysna swimmer appears well on course to become one of South Africa's leading medal hopes.
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