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Cape Town - A whole heap of Rio 2016 Olympians will be among South Africa's aquatic stars who will be taking to the water at the KwaZulu-Natal Aquatics Premier Championships.
The event doubles as the official Commonwealth Games Trials, taking place at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre in Durban, from Saturday through to next Friday.
According to Team SA's website, close to 500 swimmers will compete at the trials to secure a place in the final team which will be selected to represent SA in the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast in Australia from April 4-15.
REVEALED: Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medals
Straight from his fourth FINA World Cup title win, Chad le Clos will be looking to secure his place at next year's competition when he participates in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly as well as the 100 and 200m freestyle.
Rio Olympic silver-medalist Cameron van der Burgh is also determined to book his place in the Commonwealth Team when he races in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.
Other contenders include the likes of Olympians Douglas Erasmus in the 50m and 100m freestyle, sprinter Brad Tandy (50m freestyle) long-distance swimmer Matthew Meyer in the 400m freestyle and the 1500m freestyle.
On the women's side, 20-year-old Tatjana Schoenmaker will be looking to secure her spot by swimming in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
"Our swimmers have a history of rising to the challenge to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and to compete for the highest honours at the Games," Swimming South Africa's CEO, Shaun Adriaanse told Team SA.
"We wish all athletes the best of luck in striving for their best to qualify for the Games," he concluded.
Daily heats will star at 09:00 while the finals will begin at 17:00.
Qualifying times for the 2018 Commonwealth Games:
Men - Women
50m freestyle: 23.26 seconds - 26.06
100m free 50.64 - 56.82
200m free 1:51.50 - 2:02.83
400m free 3:56.14 - 4:19.34
800m free Not Applicable - 8:56.71
1500m free 15:44.74 - Not applicable
100m backstroke 55.95 - 1:02.73
200m back 2:02.70 - 2:16.13
100m breaststroke 1:02.46 - 1:09.95
200m breast 2:15.70 - 2:31.02
100m butterfly 54.12 - 1:00.53
200m fly 2:01:38 - 2:14.31
200m Individual Medley 2:04.43 - 2:18.08
400m IM 4:26.93 - 4:52.97
