After clinching victory in the 3.2km ocean swim at last year’s Breathe Ocean Day Swim, 17-year-old Tayla Bruce is now eyeing the women’s 5km title at this year’s event, scheduled for Saturday June 8.

Bruce, a matric pupil at Durban Girls’ College and the school’s swimming captain, has been a formidable presence in open water swimming for the past four years. Her journey began with the Capital K one-kilometre swim at Midmar Dam in 2019.

“I have been swimming since I started school and decided to try open water as a change and variation to the conventional pool swimming. I took on the Midmar swim with no great expectation, and when I was done, my coach informed me my time was good enough to qualify for the nationals,” Bruce said.

In 2020, she competed in her first three-kilometre swim at the nationals in Jeffrey’s Bay. Despite the new challenge, she felt confident and discovered a passion for the sport.

“My longest swim to date is a 10km which I did at last year’s KZN Champs at Midmar,” she said.

“It’s a huge mental challenge and I find not too many girls swim this distance, making it quite lonely in the water at times. I repeated the distance at the nationals at J-Bay and clocked 2:15 for my effort.”

Bruce adheres to a rigorous training schedule, swimming every morning before school from Monday to Friday, and adding an afternoon session as well. However, she notes the challenges of not being able to train in open water environments regularly.

“Training in the pool gives you stamina and endurance, but it’s vastly different to the lagoons and bays where most of the open water swimming events happen. The World Ocean Day Swim adds a new dimension by being a full ocean swim where there are swells, winds, and currents to deal with, asking for and demanding more effort and focus,” she explained.

As Bruce steps up to the 5km swim this year, she harbours hopes of winning but acknowledges the unpredictability of the race. Last year, she tied with Bailey Forrest for overall honours in the women’s 3.2km race, with the two athletes finishing neck-and-neck.

“The finish is always tough, having to get to shore, run through the water, and sprint for the finish. Running is not my strongest discipline, but if I can get the boost of a decent wave to help me reach the shore ahead of the chasing pack, I could pull off the win,” she said. “However, it’s all about respect for the other leading swimmers who can never be taken for granted.”

Bruce’s recent eighth-place finish at this year’s Midmar Mile, her best in the event, has fuelled her Olympic dreams. Open water swimming is an Olympic event, and Bruce aims to represent South Africa on the world’s biggest stage.

“Next year, I am taking a gap year and putting all my efforts into open water swimming. I try to get to the gym at least twice a week and need to work on my body strength, but complete focus and drive in 2025 will give me a better understanding of what open water swimming is really about, and I will have the freedom to train in my own time,” she said.

Recognised by her coaches for her talents, a win on Saturday would mark another milestone in Bruce’s promising endurance swimming career.

Saturday’s event offers swimmers a choice of four distances: the 5km, the more manageable 3.2km, the traditional mile (1.6km), and an 800m swim. While wetsuits are allowed, swimmers using them are not eligible for prizes.

Proceeds from the World Ocean Day Swim support Breathe Conservation’s efforts for cleaner oceans. While entries will be accepted on the day with an additional admin fee, swimmers are encouraged to register online for a cheaper rate at www.roag.org

More information about Breathe Conservation can be found at www.breatheconservation.org

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Tayla, 17, has sights set on World Ocean Day swim women’s 5km title