{"id":295907,"date":"2026-02-05T13:40:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/?p=295907"},"modified":"2026-02-05T13:40:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:40:04","slug":"triple-gold-was-his-reward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/","title":{"rendered":"Triple gold was his reward"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welkom Aquatics swimmer Drake O’Tool has announced himself as a serious provincial contender with a commanding performance at the recent 4+1 Inter Provincial Gala, securing gold medals, personal bests, and demonstrating maturity beyond his years.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Competing against top swimmers from across the provinces, O’Tool produced a standout meet built on consistency, versatility, and controlled aggression. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He claimed three gold medals, winning the 100m butterfly in a personal best time of 59.87 seconds, the 200m freestyle in 2:02.01 (also a personal best), and the technically demanding 200m breaststroke in 2:40.39.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made the performance particularly impressive was not only the results, but the manner in which they were achieved. O’Tool demonstrated strong awareness, disciplined pacing, and confident execution across multiple strokes. He further underlined his all-round ability with a fourth-place finish in the highly competitive 50m freestyle, where margins were exceptionally tight, and added another podium performance by finishing third in a combined age-group 200m event.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Drake O’Tool’s performance earned him three gold medals at the interprovincial gala. PHOTOS: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to Donna van Wyk of Welkom Aquatics, the results directly reflect O’Tool’s commitment to the club’s core performance values. “Drake consistently applies our coaching principles \u2013 the three D’s: discipline in training and preparation, dedication to continual improvement, and determination when it matters most on race day,” Van Wyk explained. “These performances are no accident. They are earned.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O’Tool’s achievements not only highlight his individual progress, but also reflect the growing strength of Welkom Aquatics on the provincial stage. Van Wyk believes that with continued development and exposure at this level, O’Tool’s trajectory points firmly towards even bigger performances ahead.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For Welkom Aquatics, it was a meet to celebrate. For Drake O’Tool, it was a statement,” she concluded. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The performance positions both O’Tool and his club as emerging forces in Free State provincial swimming, with expectations building for future competitions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Drake O’Tool of Welkom Aquatics emerged as a provincial contender with a stellar performance at the 4+1 Inter Provincial Gala, winning three gold medals and achieving personal bests in the 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and 200m breaststroke. His disciplined and versatile swimming, along with strong club support, positions him for future success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":295928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakougaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"1","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"22","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"1","article_feature_type":"normal","article_main_image_caption":"Drake O'Tool's performance earned him three gold medals at the interprovincial gala. PHOTOS: Supplied","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"Marti","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"Triple gold was his reward","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":["viSPDrake_P1","viSPDrake_P2"],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22],"tags":[7955,91],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-295907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","tag-sport","tag-top"],"yoast_head":"\nTriple gold was his reward | Vista<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Triple gold was his reward\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Drake O'Tool of Welkom Aquatics emerged as a provincial contender with a stellar performance at the 4+1 Inter Provincial Gala, winning three gold medals and achieving personal bests in the 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and 200m breaststroke. His disciplined and versatile swimming, along with strong club support, positions him for future success.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Vista\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VistaNewsNuus\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg?fit=1200%2C908&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"908\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marti Will\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marti Will\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marti Will\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5fcff7984992abaf4b29a15603295956\"},\"headline\":\"Triple gold was his reward\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":325,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/DRake_79944.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Sport\",\"Top\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/\",\"name\":\"Triple gold was his reward | Vista\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/DRake_79944.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/DRake_79944.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/DRake_79944.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":908},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Sport\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/sport\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Triple gold was his reward\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/\",\"name\":\"Vista News\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Vista News\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/vista-site-icon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/vista-site-icon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Vista News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/VistaNewsNuus\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/vistanewspaper\"],\"description\":\"Vista is a regional newspaper based in Welkom, the capital of Matjhabeng Municipality, in the central Free State. Vista, an English\\\/Afrikaans publication, first brought news to the community on 23 April 1971, with the following message on the front page: \u201cWe are here to write about the Goldfield and its people. We are here to serve the area in which we find ourselves, and with the help of our readers \u2013 who refine us with their constructive criticism.\",\"email\":\"vistanews@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"+27573571304\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5fcff7984992abaf4b29a15603295956\",\"name\":\"Marti Will\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marti Will\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/author\\\/marti-will\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Triple gold was his reward | Vista","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Triple gold was his reward","og_description":"Drake O'Tool of Welkom Aquatics emerged as a provincial contender with a stellar performance at the 4+1 Inter Provincial Gala, winning three gold medals and achieving personal bests in the 100m butterfly, 200m freestyle, and 200m breaststroke. His disciplined and versatile swimming, along with strong club support, positions him for future success.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/","og_site_name":"Vista","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VistaNewsNuus","article_published_time":"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":908,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg?fit=1200%2C908&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Marti Will","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marti Will","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/"},"author":{"name":"Marti Will","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#\/schema\/person\/5fcff7984992abaf4b29a15603295956"},"headline":"Triple gold was his reward","datePublished":"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/"},"wordCount":325,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg","keywords":["Sport","Top"],"articleSection":["Sport"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/","name":"Triple gold was his reward | Vista","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-05T11:40:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-05T11:40:04+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg","width":1200,"height":908},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/triple-gold-was-his-reward\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Sport","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/sport\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Triple gold was his reward"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/","name":"Vista News","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#organization","name":"Vista News","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/vista-site-icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/vista-site-icon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Vista News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VistaNewsNuus","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vistanewspaper"],"description":"Vista is a regional newspaper based in Welkom, the capital of Matjhabeng Municipality, in the central Free State. Vista, an English\/Afrikaans publication, first brought news to the community on 23 April 1971, with the following message on the front page: \u201cWe are here to write about the Goldfield and its people. We are here to serve the area in which we find ourselves, and with the help of our readers \u2013 who refine us with their constructive criticism.","email":"vistanews@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"+27573571304","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/#\/schema\/person\/5fcff7984992abaf4b29a15603295956","name":"Marti Will","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fc11fdeaed1ad25e241ff69e1251e7b5aaa716191f8e7160d3f8bd61e465cf2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marti Will"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/author\/marti-will\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DRake_79944.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":298273,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/swimmers-rewarded-for-fruits-of-their-dedication\/","url_meta":{"origin":295907,"position":0},"title":"Swimmers rewarded for fruits of their dedication","author":"Marti Will","date":"22 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Welkom Aquatics held its annual prize giving on Saturday 9 May, celebrating the achievements, dedication, and growth of its swimmers throughout the season. The evening brought together swimmers, parents, committee members, and supporters for a memorable celebration filled with pride, laughter, and recognition for hard work both in and out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-winners.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":297840,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/swimming-trio-brings-pride-to-province\/","url_meta":{"origin":295907,"position":1},"title":"Swimming trio bring pride to province","author":"Vista","date":"7 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Three swimmers from Goldfields \u2013 Drake O'Tool, Levi Bouwer, and Tristan Venter \u2013 represented the Free State at the 2026 SA Schools Championships in Cape Town. Drake won bronze in the 50 m breaststroke and silver in the relay, while Levi and Tristan achieved personal bests, showcasing resilience and determination\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Schools","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/school\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/viSPswimersDrake_69130.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/viSPswimersDrake_69130.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/viSPswimersDrake_69130.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/viSPswimersDrake_69130.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/viSPswimersDrake_69130.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":264151,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/season-of-aquatic-calibre-cheered\/","url_meta":{"origin":295907,"position":2},"title":"Season of aquatic calibre cheered","author":"Marti Will","date":"19 June 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The five swimmers who received top honours are: Mia Vorster (junior victrix ludorum), Levi Bouwer (junior victor ludorum), Sheyenne Laubscher (senior victrix ludorum), Drake O'Tool (senior victor ludorum and swimmer of the year) and Ashley Seymour (most dedicated swimmer).","rel":"","context":"In "Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Schools","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/school\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Drakeswimming_05131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Drakeswimming_05131.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Drakeswimming_05131.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Drakeswimming_05131.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Drakeswimming_05131.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":296018,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/passion-for-swimming-proven-by-presence\/","url_meta":{"origin":295907,"position":3},"title":"Passion for swimming proven by presence","author":"Vista","date":"12 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A group of Goldfields swimmers recently participated in the Midmar Mile, an iconic open-water event featuring over 12,000 entrants. While focusing on participation rather than rankings, they showcased community spirit and perseverance. Their involvement emphasizes the importance of local support in promoting swimming as a vital activity within their community.","rel":"","context":"In "Sport"","block_context":{"text":"Sport","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/sport\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dirk-SJ-KairaNel_77324.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dirk-SJ-KairaNel_77324.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dirk-SJ-KairaNel_77324.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dirk-SJ-KairaNel_77324.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Dirk-SJ-KairaNel_77324.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":296009,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/powerful-start-strong-finish\/","url_meta":{"origin":295907,"position":4},"title":"Powerful start, strong finish","author":"Vista","date":"12 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Three swimmers \u2013 SJ Nel, Elle-Anne Roper, and Tristan Venter \u2013 made some waves at the 4+1 Interprovincial Gala 2026 in Potchefstroom on 1 February. These swimmers showed up with grit, focus, and a whole lot of heart. Fast lanes, personal breakthroughs, and proud moments all round \u2013 the hard\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Schools","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/school\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SUPERSEALS_88998.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SUPERSEALS_88998.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SUPERSEALS_88998.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SUPERSEALS_88998.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SUPERSEALS_88998.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Vista","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295907"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=295907"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=295907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}