Still waters run deep for Midmar swimmers

Twenty-year-old Johannesburg swimmer Dani Furman pictures herself calmly awaiting her chance to dive into the Midmar Dam while a throng of other swimmers push and shove each other for a position close to the start line of the aQuellé Midmar Mile in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, on 11 February.

“Hopefully, the water isn’t too choppy when the chance comes,” says this former Eastern Gauteng Aquatics swimmer.

Furman will be one of thousands of swimmers competing in the 51st edition of the world’s largest open-water swim event, held annually at Midmar Dam.

Thirty-five of those swimmers will be the King David High School Linksfield (KDHSL) students going on the school’s traditional tour to the event. They will be accompanied by three members of staff: head of sport, Kirsty Forssman; head of swimming, Samantha Michau; and head of Jewish Studies, Rabbi Ilan Raanan, a regular Midmar Mile swimmer.

Forssman expects the students will do relatively well in their respective one-mile (1.6km) races at the event, the swimmers being assigned to a race based on their qualifying time in a previous event. “Last year, we had somebody in the top 10 in one of the Midmar swims for the first time,” she says. “Taine Lunt, preferably our fastest swimmer, places in the top 10 for his age group.”

KDHSL student Noa Nerwich is passionate about the Midmar tour, and has been appointed captain of the touring group. “I’ve been swimming Midmar since Grade 8, and have hopefully played a role in encouraging as many people as I could to join and be part of this incredible opportunity,” she says.

“I’m not a natural swimmer, but I love being part of the King David team and the Midmar experience, so it requires a lot of time and dedication. I’ve been training with my school at 06:00 four times a week, which is a big commitment during matric, but the comradery and teamwork, as well as sense of personal achievement, make it worthwhile.”

Furman has been training three to four times a week for Midmar. She swims laps in the pool at Virgin Active Balfour, sometimes with her dad, Gary. She has also followed the Midmar training programme offered through the event’s website, and partakes in horse-riding, for which she does a lot of core and leg work.

Furman hasn’t trained in dams as she’s terrified of them. “The only dams I’ve swum in are Midmar and the Vaal Dam. That’s about it with dirty water for me.”

As captain of the KDHSL group heading to Midmar, Nerwich will be supporting the coach and teachers. She also hopes to build the team’s morale, keep its confidence high, create team spirit and school pride, and try to be a role model. “What’s so special about the King David Midmar tour is that it’s a team comprising many different ages. My role is to continue to build the team and facilitate connections between its members and ultimately create a once-in-a-lifetime experience and make our school proud.”

On a personal note, Nerwich is hoping to beat her time from last year. “This is my last opportunity to swim Midmar for the school, so I would like it to be special. More importantly, I hope that our team leaves feeling proud of its efforts, connected as a team, and brings pride to our school, teachers, and coaches. We’re fortunate that our school affords us this opportunity, and we appreciate and acknowledge the effort from all the teachers in making this happen.”

Furman, on the other hand, isn’t expecting to beat her previous Midmar time of 35 minutes in 2021. “That was when I was fit many years ago in high school doing club training,” she says. “I did exceptionally well, in my opinion. This year, I’m hoping to do [it in] 45 minutes because of my fitness levels. I actually just started swimming again towards the end of last year to do Midmar. I just want to finish at the end of the day, get to the other side, and get the medal.”

Unlike in 2021, her dad won’t be swimming this weekend due to a hip injury.

The Disney movie Moana is KDHSL’s Midmar tour theme this year as it seamlessly intertwines with the school’s cherished Jewish values, says Forssman.

“Moana’s unwavering determination mirrors the koach within each of our swimmers, empowering them to partake in such a prestigious swim. The movie showcases various ways in which we are guided by our own neshama, and how we need to use our spirit to create a collective heartbeat of enthusiasm and passion in everything we do. Moana’s reliance on ancestral knowledge has a parallel in our students drawing strength from the wisdom of Torah and Israel.”