Tiago Cordeiro from Glenwood Gigh School in Durban, has been away to participate in the Junior European
championships as well as the Portugal Open.
While he was away during this period, Tiago main goal was to make the team to go to Junior Olympics in Argentina.
Tiago had achieved the qualifying times for this competition a year prior to Nationals this year, and therefore was amongst a short list of swimmers to make the team.
At the end of both galas it became about choosing between 3 swimmers and unfortunately due to a selection criteria that only benefited 800m Free swimmers, Tiago was not chosen for the team.
Unfortunately unlike most countries Portugal was only taking 2 boys swimmers and not 4.
This has been very disappointing as we were all convinced that he would be chosen based of the fact that Tiago qualifying time was more than 3 seconds below the required time.
Tiago participation in the Junior European championships went very well. He participated in 4 events and came away with 2 personal best times as well as an excellent morning swimming in his main event 200m Fly.
During the Portugal Open championship Tiago once again participated in the same 4 events. Tiago achieved personal best times in all the events that he participated in. At the end he achieved first place in the 100m Butterfly to become Junior National champion for the second time this year in Portugal. He also achieved a personal best time of 2:02.64 and a first Place in his main event 200m Butterfly. This made him the Portuguese Open champion for 2018.
Tiago is going to have a very busy year and we are looking forward to a promising year ahead.
Report and photos supplied by JP Cordeiro (0829043382 or jpc64@vodamail.co.za)