Clara Aurik

MEET THE COACH

By Marais Olivier

My suggestion that Clara Aurik be our next coach in “Meet the coach” was met with great enthusiasm. “Clara is a legend!” it was heard to be said. Clearly she is a well-known and beloved member of the swimming fraternity. It was my privilege to interview this swimming and coaching legend at her home in Rondebosch.

Clara, where did you learn to swim?

I was 2 years old when my parents moved from Holland to Indonesia. Because of the heat, the best place to be was in water and my younger sister and I learned to swim from an early age.

Did you receive formal swim training?

Yes, in 1939 I was sent to Holland for further schooling. I joined the Amsterdamse Dames Zwemclub and started training with an Olympic coach. She would point out the correct style and technique of the other swimmers, as well as their mistakes. Although I was still young and a competitive swimmer myself, I became interested in coaching. In 1941, at the age of 15, Clara became the junior swim champion in Holland. This was during the Second World War and Clara lost contact with her parents. The German soldiers took all their possessions, even the medals they had won. These were melted down for ammunition. Instead of medals, the swimmers received wood-carved plaques as recognition. Clara showed me one of these neatly carved wooden plaques that she had received for a first place. In 1948 Clara was reunited with her family in Indonesia. She was back in the water and became the Indonesian swim champion.

When did you come to South Africa?

I came to South Africa in 1953 and started swimming and coaching at the Long Street swimming pool.

What was the level of coaching like at that time?

Coaching was not very good and the pool was very crowded. Co-operation between the coaches was not good.

But Clara persisted and soon her swimmers started to excel. Over the years she trained several great swimmers, many of whom became Springboks. Clara became one of South Africa’s foremost swimming coaches. Her career was not without controversy. In 1976 she defended some of her swimmers who were, undeservedly, excluded from the team. Clara was branded the “Rebel Coach” and barred from attending any swim meets. But this coach was determined to see her star swimmer at the time, Karen van Helden, compete. With a wig as disguise, she was on the stands to see Karen win. “Nobody knew it was me”, Clara told me with a twinkle in the eye. Although Clara had coached many champion swimmers, none of them were allowed to compete internationally, because of South Africa’s political situation at the time. Then, at the age of 70, Clara accompanied Marianne Kriel as her coach, to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

What did it feel like when Marianne won a medal at the Olympic Games?

Marianne was not one of the favorites to win a medal in the 100m backstroke, but she swam an excellent race and with a very strong finish, she touched third. I was so happy, I danced! After the medal ceremony, Marianne tossed her flowers to me, but they were caught by a taller member of the audience. “No!” Marianne called out, “those are for my coach!” The flowers have long since died but I kept the ribbon with which they were tied. Besides coaching, Clara kept on swimming and became a master’s champion. She competed and won gold at several world championships. In 2004 she was involved in a serious car accident and was forced to retire from swimming. Clara can still be seen at every masters gala, where she takes charge of the timekeeping. You once mentioned to me that life is too short. If given the chance, what would you have done differently? Nothing, I would be a swim coach. I loved it.