Cooke brother and sister duo with home advantage ahead of Lifesaving Championships

Sport24, in partnership with DHL and Lifesaving SA, previews the athletes likely to make a splash in the surf or sizzle on the sand at the 2022 DHL Lifesaving National Club Championships in Gqeberha from 20-26 March.

Kings Beach locals Keegan and Chelsey Cooke will be looking to utilise home ground advantage to take their form for Team South Africa into the local scene, where they will be representing Kings Beach Surf Lifesaving Club at the LSA National Champs.

Chelsey, competing at the recent Africa Lifesaving Championship in Egypt, played a role in Team South Africa’s overall first place finish, coming first in the Tube Rescue, fourth in Beach Flags and fifth in Long Run (2km). She also participated in the Beach Runs and Surf & Rescue events.

Keegan also played his part for South Africa on an international stage at the African Champs, overcoming some tough competition from the Egyptians and Moroccans to win the men's 2km Beach Run and also add to Team South Africa’s success.

Already a part of the provisional men’s senior squad for Team South Africa, 25 year-old Keegan has the added incentive - going into the National Champs - of making the final squad for the World Championship, which will be held in Italy later this year. As does his younger sister Chelsey, who is one of 10 included in the women’s provisional senior squad.

The sport runs in the genes of the Cooke family, with their father having been involved in lifesaving for many years, but Keegan also credits his success to Porky Lynch, who has been with him since he was a nipper, and is still a guiding support structure today.

Now an established senior and Team South Africa representative, much of Keegan’s strength stems from his abilities as a professional