Schoenmaker leads charge at SA Swimming Championships, SA swimmers eye Commonwealth qualification

Places in the teams to represent South Africa at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games will be on the line as the country's best swimmers head to Gqeberha for the SA National Swimming Championships from Wednesday.

Action at the Newton Park Swimming pool will get under way from 6 April-11 April.

Leading the charge will be world record-holder Tatjana Schoenmaker, who claimed gold and silver at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

"I'm very excited. It's been a bit more tough than other years, just in the sense of getting back into things since everything has changed," said Schoenmaker.

"There are a lot of new responsibilities that came along the past eight months. But it's been very exciting and I'm always up for the challenge."

Schoenmaker isn't expecting to be in the same national record-breaking form, she's just relishing the chance to race alongside what's fast becoming a world-class field of South African breaststrokers.

"I had never swum a PB at Nationals before - last year was the first time ever so I think that's why you saw the shock on my face. Going into this Nationals, there's no expectation. I'm just focusing on my races," said Schoenmaker.

"There are some fast girls, especially in the breaststroke. Kaylene [Corbett] and Lara [van Niekerk] are doing so well so I'm excited to see how they race. Not necessarily trying to beat each other. I think it's just supporting each other to get into that team and then prove ourselves internationally."

Also lining up in Gqeberha will be four-time Olympic medallist Chad le Clos, who is battling his way back from illness - having spent time in hospital earlier in the year with bronchitis.

"It's been a great year of training. I'm managed to gather a group of youngsters to train with me