Fish Hoek lifeguards win big at Lifesaving World Championships in Australia

• Three lifeguards from Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club have triumphed at the Lifesaving World Championships 2024.
• They won individual categories against competitors from 50 nations.
• The athletes balanced their rigorous training with fundraising efforts.

Competing at the highest level, three lifeguards from the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club emerged victorious – in individual categories – against 50 nations at the Lifesaving World Championships 2024 held in Australia.

They proved their excellence in both the competitive and lifesaving service aspects of the sport at the event which took place in Queensland, Australia from Monday 23 August to Sunday 8 September.

The athletes, who were selected to represent South Africa from a pool of eligible athletes affiliated with Lifesaving South Africa, all hail from the Western Cape.

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Western Cape high performance manager Jill Fortuin commended the athletes for their achievement.

“Unlike many other sports, lifesaving representation is self-funded,” she said. “These athletes have had to balance their rigorous training with the demands of fundraising, making their achievements even more commendable.

“The success of the athletes also demonstrates the primary purpose of these athletes, which is to save lives in South African waters. Lives are in the safe hands of these world champions who represent the excellent lifesaving ability of South Africans.”

According to Fortuin, lifesaving has a vital service component where athletes are not only tested for their competitive abilities, but also for their lifesaving competence.

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“The 2024 Lifesaving World Championships featured athletes from across the globe,” she said, but the dominance of these Western Cape competitors highlights the exceptional talent within the province.

continued Fortuin.

The Lifesaving World Championship had a pool and beach component which required athletes to rescue dummies, do beach sprints, surf swim, surf ski, relays and board races.

“South Africans can take pride in the fact that these champions are not only the fastest on the beach or in the water but are also prepared and ready to prevent drownings and save lives,” said Fortuin.

Matthew Coetzer (19), crowned Open Surf Ski World Champion, started his lifesaving journey at the age of 10.

“I originally started from the Umhlanga Lifesaving Club in KwaZulu-Natal at the age of 10,” he recalled. “I am also a surfer who loves the ocean.”

Coetzer said it was an honour to represent South Africa. “I was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect, but it was such a great experience.”

The full-time University of Cape Town student volunteers his time for lifesaving duties. The outstanding success of the four champions positions South Africa as a nation to watch as the sport of lifesaving continues to grow on the global stage, Fortuin concluded.