Namibia’s maiden Open Water Swimmer at World championship

Four times OTB Pupkewitz Jetty Mile winner, Phillip Seidler, long distance swimmer and surfer from Swakopmund competed at the 17th Final Senior World Championship on the 15th July in Hungary.
After competing at the SA National OWS (open water swim) in March, he qualified for the 5km event for the Senior Open Water Swim World championship in Balaton – Hungary. The choppy waters of Lake Balaton welcomed 62 Elite world swimmers for the 5km race.
Phillip Seidler performed well in his maiden World Championship and reached a remarkable 42nd position in an excellent time of 56:32, 70min, just 2 minutes off the French World Champ Olivier, who claimed the honors when he posted a rapid time of 53:31.40. Phillip was one of the youngest swimmer participants, with a bright future lying ahead of him.
He is also the first ever Namibian swimmer in history to finish the race well under the cut – off time and putting Namibia on the map for Open Water Swimming. Phillip is the current Namibian record holder of 400m, 800m and 1500m free in pool events. He specializes in long distances and is determined to make Namibia proud in many more open water swims and pool events to come.
As a Namibian open water swimmer, these international events are all self paid trips, as Open Water Swimming is still in its infant stages of development in Namibia. A big thank you goes to Eghardt Brand-foundation for financially supporting the Biokinetic gym sessions, which provides the extra strength needed for such prestige events and to all the Swakopmunders supporting and believing in Phillip.