Swimming SA CEO Shaun Adriaanse hopes for an improved Water Polo team effort vs Cuba at the FINA World Champs in Shanghai today. File photo.Swimming SA Chief Executive Officer Shaun Adriaanse is expecting the women’s national Water Polo team to show improvement against Cuba in their third match at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China on Thursday.

The South African women’s Water Polo team fell 22-5 to the host team China during their first match of the tournament, before losing 18-2 to Italy on Tuesday. “We expect a tough match against Cuba but are hopeful our girls will also show a lot of improvement,” said Adriaanse, who is in China with the team.

On day 3 at the champs, South African swimmer Natalie du Toit finished in 39th place in the 10km swim, the event won by former South African and Midmar Mile star Keri-Anne Payne, finishing in a time of 2hrs 01 min 58 sec to earn a gold medal for Britain.

Payne led from start to finish, duplicating her title from the previous World Championships in Rome, Italy, two years ago. The victory saw Payne, who was born in Johannesburg, become the first British athlete to qualify for next year’s London Olympic Games.

Back to the women’s 10km event, Italian Martina Grimaldi was second in 2:02.01 with Marianna Lymperta of Greece third in 2:02.12.

Du Toit, one of the world’s celebrated swimmers, was 6min 29 sec off Payne in 39th place after clocking 2:08.27. Another South African who competed in the event was Jessica Roux who was 45th in her first major race in 2:16.34.

The South African women’s Water Polo players took on world number four China in their fist fixture, and gave the World Cup bronze medalists a bit of a scare before going on to lose 22-5.

Leigh Maarschalk made the Chinese power shooters look normal when it came to penalty shots, blocking two from three — a remarkable achievement, which clearly frustrated the home side, while Jemma Dendy Young and Kelsey White scored two each, before Sarah Harris scored from outside with two minutes left.

After the match, South African head coach Brad Rowe gave credit to the Chinese who boast an array of superstars in their team. “It didn’t show that much considering the opposition. It was skillful shooting and many lobs by the Chinese that caused havoc.

“We expected it considering that the Chinese team played 100 international matches in the past 12 months and we did not even play a single one.


The SA Women’s team lists:



1. Vanessa Mohr (NTS)
2. Wendy Trott (WP)
3. Kathryn Meaklim (KZN)
4. Karin Prinsloo (NTS)
5. Suzaan van Biljon (KZN)
6. Leone Vorster (NTS)


Water Polo:

1. Leigh Maarschalk (WP)
2. Sarah Harris (WP)
3. Lee‐Anne Keet (KZN)
4. Kimberly Kay (WP)
5. Megan Schooling (WP)
6. Kelsey White (CGA)
7. Kimberly Schmidt (WP)
8. Nicolette Poulus (WP)
9. Jemma Dendy Young (WP)
10. Shelley Faulmann (WP)
11. Laura Barrett (WP)
12. Christine Barretto (KZN)
13. Dalaine Christian (Bor)


Open Water 10km Swim:

1. Natalie du Toit (CGA)
2. Jessica Roux (KZN)


Open Water 5km Swim:

1. Nicole Brits (KZN)
2. Natalie du Toit (CGA)


Synchronised Swimming:

1. Kerry‐Beth Norden (EP)
2. Laura Strugnell (WP)
3. Emma Manners‐Wood (WP)
4. Fatima Isaacs (WP)
5. Jessica Broughton (EP)
6. Jessica Hayes‐Hill (KZN)
7. Lucy McCarthy (KZN)
8. Jessica Domiro (KZN)
9. Natasha Domiro (KZN)
10. Shannon Crowder (KZN)
11. Kelly Sloley (KZN)
12. Nicola David (WP)