Caydon Muller
Silver medallists South Africa's Chad le Clos, Roland Schoeman, Leith Shankland and Caydon Muller pose during the Men's 4x100m Freestyle relay medal ceremony at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on July 25, 2014.
Caydon Muller was born in Benoni in June 1995. He moved to Pretoria where he attended the TUKSsport High School.
Caydon won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100-metre medley relay at the 2013 World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai.
At the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Caydon won the gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and the bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle.
Young guns aim to beat old hands
8 February 2015
Caydon Muller was forced to quit athletics because he grew too fast, but as a swimmer the tall teen could be on the road to greatness.
Muller is one of a handful of young freestyle hopefuls who are being touted by national coach Graham Hill as future stars capable of stepping out of the shadows of Chad Le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh.
Pretoria-based Muller and the other young guns, notably Clayton Jimmie and Calvin Justus, both from Durban, have the potential to lift SA to Olympic medals in the men's 4x100m and 4x200m relays, says the mentor.
"If their progress carries on they could become world-beaters themselves," said Hill. "These guys are talented."
Muller, 19, has a personal best of 49.98sec for the 100m freestyle, a decent time for his age. "When you look at sprinters, most of the top guys are in their twenties," said Hill. "That speed comes from man-strength. I believe their strength will come. This season and next season a lot could change."
Muller intends beating the 48.99 qualifying time for the 2016 Olympics this season. To get to the world championships in Russia this year he needs to go 49.39.
"I want to focus on the 100m freestyle. The hundred is everything to me - the speed, the adrenaline."
Muller, who kicks off his season at Stellenbosch from Friday to Sunday in the first of a new two-gala grand prix series, last year anchored the SA 4x100m freestyle relay team to a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games alongside Le Clos, Roland Schoeman and Leith Shankland.
Muller, at 1.97m, went through a growth spurt in his early teens that caused problems to his feet, forcing him to give up athletics.
He switched to swimming and relentlessly pursued his other love, skateboarding.
"I used to do the half-pipe and those things, but I kept getting injured so my [swimming] coach told me to stop and sell everything."
Muller grew up in Boksburg and moved to the High Performance Centre academy in Pretoria during high school, matriculating in 2013.
Muller added butterfly to his repertoire to build his strength.
"I'm just doing it to improve my freestyle.
"I think we really could medal in the relay at the Olympics. We can bring back Athens [2004].
DURBAN,- APRIL 06 2017: Caydon Muller Men 100 LC Meter Freestyle during day 4 of the 2017 SA National Aquatic Championships at Kings Park Aquatic Centre on April 06, 2017 in Durban, South Africa.