Swimmers in the Kovsie Aquatics Open Water race at the Maselspoort Resort.
The main centres of the Orange Free State Province were Bloemfontein, Kroonstad and Welkom. with other towns like Sasolburg, Kroonstad, Bethlehem and Welkom all producing excellent swimmers. International coach Cecil Colwin was known for his swimming camps held in the Bethlehem town pool.
Sasolburg is a significant swimming town with a heated 50m outdoor pool. It is also located in the Orange Free State, although it was incorporated into the swimming province known as the Vaal Triangle, with van der Bijl Park and Vereeniging, which are located across the Vaal river in the Transvaal.
Competitive swimming was also practised in the smaller towns, but many of the municipal and school pools become dead pools. (click on the Dead Pools layer in the map). Smaller centres included the Maselspoort and Parys resorts and many towns with a dorp swembad.
Aquatic sports have thrived in the Orange Free State since the area was first invaded by the British and became a colony in 1902. The excellent schools like Eunice GHSA, Grey College and St Andrews all contribute a steady stream of national champions. The university has also participated in the national inter-varsity championships.
The Free State has a produced many national and some international champion swimmers. These include the Johnson brothers Donald and Graham, Jannie and Pietie Horn, Dougie Eager, Janine Steenkamp, the Markgraaf sisters, and Ryk Neethling.
Well known recent Free State swimming coaches included Simon Gray, Santa van Jaarsveld and Syd Gibbons.