JEFFREYS BAY – Two young athletes from the Jeffreys Bay Surf Lifesaving Club have made their mark on the national stage, building on the town’s growing reputation for developing junior lifesaving talent.

Lionel Coetzer (10) and Christiano Faulkner (13), both learners at Pellsrus Primary School, were among the first nippers from Jeffreys Bay to qualify for the South African Lifesaving Championships.

The pair also recently competed at nationals, where they faced tough competition from across the country.

Their achievements are built on the strong foundation laid in February when Jeffreys Bay hosted its first-ever nipper level testing and the Eastern Cape Lifesaving Championships.

At the provincial event, both athletes had already shown promise, each securing second-place finishes in the long run events in their respective age groups.

Coetzer delivered a standout performance, becoming the first Jeffreys Bay Lifesaving Club nipper to win two silver medals at the national championships, securing his place as second in the country in his events.

Reflecting on his achievement, he said that winning felt good.

“I was very happy, and I cried tears of joy,” said Coetzer.

Despite the achievement, he admitted to moments of doubt.

“I was worried that the other contestants were going to be better than me when I saw how they were training, especially when I saw how hard the iron nippers were training, but I gave it my best,” said Coetzer.

He described the experience as enjoyable overall; however, he said that he found the surf swim and beach long run particularly challenging.

Through daily training, Coetzer said his success came down to dedication.

Looking ahead, he has set his sights high.

“I want to win gold and silver in each respective event and want to give my very best in everything I do,” said Coetzer.

He also hopes to follow in the footsteps of experienced lifesavers and his father, Keawane Hammond, who is the chairman and head coach of Jeffreys Bay Surf Lifesaving Club and a Kouga Municipality lifeguard.

“I want to be like my father and the rest of the lifeguards who save people’s lives,” said Coetzer.

Encouraging others to get involved, he encouraged those interested to join the training.

Coetzer further advised trainees to always try to give their best.

Faulkner, who also represented Jeffreys Bay at nationals, described the experience as both rewarding and motivating.

“It feels really good to participate in nippers at nationals as it helps me to stay busy with something positive and keeps me motivated to try to get better at the different events in the sport,” said Faulkner.

He added that competing at this level had an impact beyond his own performance.

“I felt really good knowing that my competing had motivated my friends to become part of the nippers,” said Faulkner.

He admitted to feeling nervous ahead of the water events and competing against the male competitors, as the nationals were a much bigger event than the provincial championships.

Faulkner said many of the competitors were much more competitive and fitter than he was.

Looking ahead, he said that he wants to improve his performance.

“I want to learn more skills and techniques and to work on my weaknesses and continue to improve my strengths,” said Faulkner.

He also aspires to continue in lifesaving and hopes to achieve senior lifeguard status in the future.

Offering advice to other young athletes, Faulkner encouraged them to focus on each event and prepare for tough competition, as the nippers are tough competitors.

“I would encourage young people to join Jeffreys Bay Surf Lifesaving Club because there’s always a great chance that they could be much better at the sport,” said Faulkner.

For more information or to join Jeffreys Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, contact Keawane Hammond at 072 805 7359.

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