Wendy Trott was born on the 14th of February 1990 in Sandton. She attended Springfield Convent school in Cape Town where she swam with coach Karoly von Törös at the VInyard SC. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, she won a silver medal in the 800m freestyle. 

She won a scholarship to the University of Georgia in 2009 and won the NCAA title in the 1,650 freestyle three times. At the SEC Championships, Trott became the first woman in league history to win the 1,650 freestyle championship four times. In her senior year, she was chosen as the 2012 H. Boyd McWhorter Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the Southeastern Conference on Friday. In 2023 she worked at ALT Advisory in Johannesburg and is completing an LLB law degree through UNISA.

At the 2008 Olympic Games Wendy finished 9th in the 800m freestyle, and 12th in the 2012 London Olympic Games. 

(L-R) Medalists Melissa Gorman of Australia (Bronze), Rebecca Adlington of England (Gold) and Wendy Trott of South Africa (Silver) pose during the medal ceremony for the Women's 800m Freestyle Final at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Wendy Trott Wins 800 Free at South African Championships

Durban, April 12 2007.

THE 400 freestyle title already in her pocket, Wendy Trott added the 800 free championship Thursday at the South African National Championships. Trott was far from overwhelming, as she was well off her time from the World Championships, but her outing of 8:50.17 delivered an eight-second win over Kathryn Meaklim (8:58.23). Trott went 8:31.53 at the World Champs. "I have been tapering for almost six weeks now so it was going to be difficult to get close to my record again," Trott said. "Melbourne was fantastic and it was amazing to swim next to Laure Manaudou of France in the final of the 800 freestyle at the World Championships. I was so happy to be in the final of this event in Melbourne as it is my favorite."

North Carolina’s Stephanie Peacock Edges Triple Champ Wendy Trott for 1650 Free Win; Breaks Oldest NCAA Record in Books 17 March, 2012 AUBURN, Alabama, March 17. IN what had the entire crowd on its feet cheering on a record-setting performance, North Carolina's Stephanie Peacock shot down the oldest NCAA record in the books 22 years to the day from when Janet Evans first set it in the 1650 free. Peacock clipped three-time defending champion Wendy Trott of Georgia, 15:38.79 to 15:38.94, to take down Evans' legendary time of 15:39.14 set back in 1990 in Austin, also on March 17. Peacock jumped up to third-fastest all time behind only Katie Hoff (15:24.35) and Kate Ziegler (15:29.15) with the win to give North Carolina only its 11th team title of all time. Trott, meanwhile, had been looking to become the 12th person ever to sweep an event during their career. She broke her lifetime best of 15:40.32 that claimed the title last year, and also moved her past Evans into fourth all time in the event's history.

TROTT NAMED RECIPIENT OF TODAY'S TOP 10 AWARD FROM NCAA

Nov. 1, 2012 ATHENS, Ga. ---

Former Georgia swimmer Wendy Trott has been selected as a recipient of the Today's Top 10 Award, according to an announcement Thursday by the NCAA. The award recognizes student-athletes who completed their eligibility during the 2011-12 academic year for their success in academics, athletics and in the community. Trott and the other nine recipients, including former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, will be recognized at the Honors Celebration Jan. 18, 2013, during the NCAA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.

Trott, a native of Cape Town, South Africa, was a three-time NCAA and a four-time SEC champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle for the Lady Bulldogs. She was the first woman in conference history to win the 1,650 freestyle four times. Trott also claimed an SEC title in the 500 freestyle. She has represented South Africa in several international competitions, including the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Trott was a two-time Capital One Academic All-American and a four-time member of the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team.

She earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and won the Elite 89 Award as the swimmer at the NCAAs with the highest grade point average. Trott was named the H. Boyd McWhorter Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for all sports by the SEC and received a second postgraduate scholarship from the conference. She won UGA's Joel Eaves and Marilyn Vincent awards as the senior with the highest grade point average and she received a Ramsey Scholarship for Academic and Athletic Excellence. Trott also was named to the SEC Community Service Team.

She served as a team captain her senior season and was a member of UGA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. "I've never met a more well-rounded person than Wendy," Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. "She does everything the way it should be done. She worked equally hard at her studies and her swimming, and she did both with a smile on her face. Her level of commitment to whatever she undertook was amazing. Wendy was an absolute treasure to coach and be around these last four years. She was an outstanding ambassador for our program. We're excited about Wendy receiving this honor, and there's no question that she deserves it."

NCAA Women’s Division I Championships: Georgia’s Wendy Trott Claims 1650 Free Title

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, March 21 2009

GEORGIA's Wendy Trott had some work to do after North Carolina's Whitney Sprague threw down a 15:46.57 during earlier heats. The Bulldog did just enough to answer the bell to win the women's 1650-yard free.

Trott clocked a 15:45.49, which is the 12th-fastest time ever in the event and gave Georgia its third title in the mile at NCAAs. Previous winners were Erika Hansen in 1989 and Julie Varozza in 1999. Every decade seems to be a good bet that a Georgia Bulldog will win the mile. However, with Trott's ability, it might not be more than just next year.

Princeton's Alicia Aemisegger clocked a third-place time of 15:50.60 to complete the podium.

In a barn-burner for the team race, Georgia pushed out to the lead with 329.5 points, while California sat second with 302 points. Arizona remained in striking distance with 282.5 points for third. Stanford (213.5) and Auburn (210) completed the top five.

In this year Georgia South African's Troy Prinsloo and Wendy Trott won the men's and women's 1650 NCAA titles, while Neil Versveld won the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships by swimming the fastest time in the history of the event (1:51.40).

NCAA Division I Women’s Championships: Georgia’s Wendy Trott Defends Title in Mile

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana, March 20, 2010

GEORGIA started off the evening right with a victory in the 1650 free. Wendy Trott defended her title with a 15:48.87 for the win, after winning with a 15:45.49 last year. She joined just eight women to have won the event multiple times, and gave Georgia its fourth triumph in the mile. Previously, Erika Hansen won in 1989 and Julie Varozza claimed the title in 1999. 

"It's great, I'm very happy," Trott said. "It's a very close competition right now so I'm just glad I could get those points for Georgia. It was tough and fun but I'm glad it's over."

Princeton's Alicia Aemisegger finished second overall in 15:57.02, while California's Lauren Boyle placed third in 15:59.57 out of an earlier heat. Southern California's Haley Anderson (15:59.99) and Michigan's Emily Brunemann (16:00.93), the 2008 winner, finished fourth and fifth.

Georgia jumped into the lead with 282.5 points, while California stood second with 272 points. Arizona (266.5), Stanford (266.5) and Florida (248) all remained in the fight for the title.

Where Are They Now? – Wendy Trott

29 Sept 2015

Former swimmer, Wendy Trott, shares her experiences since she graduated from UGA in 2012.

Hometown:

Cape Town, South Africa

 Major at UGA:

A.B. in International Affairs with a minor in French

Graduate degree:

Masters in International Development, Concentrations in Africa and Emerging Economies from SciencesPo (Paris, France)

 University highlights, achievements and awards:

—NCAA Top 10 Award
—UGA L.E.A.D. and S.A.A.C member
—NCAA and Southeastern Conference Post-Graduate Scholarships, Recipient
—2012 SEC Boyd McWhorter Female Student-Athlete of the Year
—2012 UGA Clifford Lewis Leadership Award
—2012 Elite 89
—2012 UGA Marilyn Vincent Award
—NCAA Champion in the 1650-yard freestyle (2009, 2010, 2011)
—2012 Joel Evans Scholar Athlete (highest GPA)
—Graduated Summa Cum Laude
—South African Olympic Team Member, 2012 

What are you currently doing?

I just started a new job with the Jameel Poverty Action Lab, an academic research network headquartered at MIT. My regional office works out of the University of Cape Town and I am based in Johannesburg where I’m working on a Randomized Control Trial evaluating the impact of low-cost information tools in overcoming market frictions for unemployed young people in Johannesburg.

I am incredibly happy to be doing what I do because I feel like I am working on one of the most significant issues in South Africa (and the rest of the world) today: youth unemployment. I particularly love it because it is a concrete, practical job. I get to work with an National Governing Organization and unemployed young people on the ground, but I also get to be on the forefront of cutting-edge academic research and see how what I do every day fits in with the larger economic literature, so that I feel like I could really make a difference. Everything we do is about building up the evidence base and getting it out to policy-makers so that I don’t feel like the work I do is too abstract.

What about being a student-athlete prepared you for the workforce?

Being a student-athlete at UGA was instrumental in helping me cultivate a fantastic work-ethic. I think that employers were really able to recognize that motivation and ability to work hard when I was interviewing, and it is an incredibly tough job market out there right now so this is hugely valuable. The other thing being a student-athlete gave me was time-management skills, which are a massive asset in the working world. Even when I was in graduate school I felt like I was better able to manage my time and responsibilities than my peers because I’d been forced to do it my whole life. While others were stressing and staying up late the night before papers were due, I had managed to get them done ahead of time and then go for a run.

In a job the same thing goes. Being organized, planning ahead and anticipating then managing delays are fundamental to project management, and every job involves large amounts of project management.

What did you do well or what could you have done differently during your time as a student-athlete at UGA?

The most important thing I wish I had done when I was a student-athlete is making connections with my professors and getting to know them. Recommendation letters are absolutely vitally important, and no professor will remember you if you don’t make a significant effort to go talk to them (even then they may not). It can also be hugely helpful in finding out about job opportunities and connecting to others in your field. Finally, it’s a good way to find out more about what job options there are in your field and which way you want to take your career. I highly recommend asking your professor how they got into what they do, what options they faced when they were your age, what made them choose the route they did, and if they have anyone who chose a different route that they can put you in contact with.

The other thing I wish I had done a better job of was learning the technical requirements of my field as soon as possible (in my case statistics and statistical packages). These hard skills look amazing on your resume, and a wide variety will be helpful. The best suggestion I can give is go onto Coursera, or Edx or any other free online course website and sign up for things you find interesting, that could be Excel, R, Python, photo editing software, anything! As long as you find it interesting, chances are it’ll seem interesting to whoever’s looking at your resume.

What career advice would you give to current or former student-athletes?

My only other advice is to do what makes you passionate. This sounds like a cliché, but it is so true and so rarely followed. The world had plenty of people who do typical things, and it’s very rare that anyone becomes successful at something they only do because they think they’re supposed. There is however plenty of space for the weird, innovative and niche ideas. Do what you love and you will find a way to be successful at it, and once people see how good you are at it they’ll stop trying to convince you otherwise.

Wendy Trott comes from a swimming family - her parents were both Springbok swimmers. Father Gary Bonney was a breaststroke swimmer from Johannesburg while her mother Susan Dickey swam for Natal, dominating South African women's freestyle events between 1972 and 1975. Gary won bronze in the 100m breaststroke at the 1969 South African Championships, 2nd in the 200 in 1970 behind Rhodesian Rob Hatherley. This earned him a place in the Springbok team to tour Rhodesia later that year.

Susan Dickie swam for Natal. won the 800m freestyle at the 1972 nationals in Port Elizabeth, taking silver in the 400 and bronze in the 200m freestyle events, and bronze in the 100m butterfly. In 1973 she won the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle as well as the 200m butterfly, coming second in the 100 fly. That year she also won the Susan Roberts Trophy as the outstanding swimmer of the tournament. In 1974 at Bloemfontein, she won the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle, 440 IM. Esmé Oosthuizen beat her in the butterfly events, and into second place in the 100m freestyle. At Ellis Park, Johannesburg in 1975 she was beaten in the 800, winning the 200 and 400 freestyle and 200 fly. She was also awarded the Susan Roberts Trophy again.

1973 - Sue Dickie with coach Jim Spring.

Troy Prinsloo and Chad Ho at the finish of the 2014 Midmar Mile.

Hercules Troyden Prinsloo (born November 16, 1985) placed third at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the men's 1500m freestyle. He won three gold medals at the 2007 All-Africa Games, and previously he earned a silver medal in the men's 800m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Games. He also represented South Africa at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Olympian, Commonwealth Games medallist and NCAA 1650 yard Champion. Troy Prinsloo matriculated from Kearsney College in Natal, after which he attended the University of Georgia.

His early career focussed on distance events in the pool, although he switched to open water events after the 2008 Olympic Games. In 2007 he set South African records for both the 800 and 1500 metre freestyle events at the African Swimming Championships at Casablanca in Morocco

Personal best times

Troy Prinsloo Is A Strong Contender At The Olympic Marathon

July4, 2012

Hercules Troyden Prinsloo from Durban, South Africa qualified for the Olympic Marathon Swimming 10km in London and is considered one of the darkhorses for a podium finish on August 10th in the Serpentine.

A 2008 Olympian in the 1500m freestyle and 2011 graduate of the University of Georgia in the United States, Prinsloo shifted over to the open water in 2011 with great success. "I do the majority of my training in Durban now with my coach Nick Gray and in Cape Town with Cedric Finch who I started working with at the beginning of this year."

And like many who have reached his level, the time commitment and personal sacrifice is significant...but worth the pain of admission.

"I usually swim about 18 km a day and between 90-100 km a week. I swam pool my whole life, but since 2011 I have completed changed my focus to open water swimming."

While over 30,000 people and a global television audience are expected to watch Prinsloo race six loops at the Olympic 10K, his training is far removed from the public eye. "I train on my own and there have been numerous occasions where I am the only one in the pool training with the coach on the side." But he mixes things up as he experiments in his new discipline. "I usually kick 1 km per session and pull half the session, so about 4 km of pulling each set. Since I am very new to open water swimming, I am not too sure on how to taper for it properly. For [the Olympic Marathon Qualification race in] Portugal, I had a 2-week taper where I dropped the mileage and intensity quite a bit."

His workouts - for those not called Hercules - can be intimidating. "The toughest workout I did was when I was training for the mile was in college with my coach Harvey Humphries. He made us go a 500 on 5:50 long course meters. Then, we went 5 x 100 on 1:05. We did that 6 times without a break. It was extremely difficult because we had to try hold [our] mile pace for the 100s. Holding 60s isn't easy on 1:05.

The toughest set I have done for open water was a set I did recently where I had to go 15 x 100 pull on 1:15 then straight into a 5 km straight. Then I did another 15 x 100 on 1:10 then straight into 1500m long course. But then I had to come back that same afternoon and do the exact same set again."

His memorable first name is a family name. "Hercules is my father's first name too. But I go by my second name Troy because I've been called that since I was a kid...and it's kinda embarrassing to be called Hercules." Strong as he is physically, his previous experience at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will undoubtedly help me in London. "I know how tough the level of competition is. I know what to expect in London and will be able to handle the pressure a lot better."

The Games will certainly be a pressure boiler, but Prinsloo has the pedigree to stamp his name in the annals of Olympic marathon swimming history.

South African Olympian Troy Prinsloo has set a new standard for the 7.5 KM Robben Island swim of 1 hour 23 minutes and 43 seconds.   The previous record for the crossing was held by German Christof Wandratsch (1:33:11) who did the swim in 2005.   Prinsloo is one of South Africa’s top distance freestylers and was recently second to his countryman Chad Ho at the MidMar Mile (the world’s largest open water swim).    Robben Island can be a very challenging crossing for even the most experienced open water swimmer given its strong variable currents and cold temperatures.   The reported temperature of Prinsloo’s crossing was 15 degrees celsius (59 degrees fahrenheit .   Prinsloo complete the record swim without a wetsuit.

TROY PRINSLOO SETS A NEW RECORD FOR ROBBEN ISLAND SWIM

South African Olympian Troyden Prinsloo has smashed the record for the icy 7.5km Atlantic crossing from Robben Island to Blouberg.

Prinsloo, wearing only a Speedo costume, cap and goggles, swam a time of 1:23:48 which is nine minutes faster than the previous record held by German elite swimmer Christof Wandratsch (1:33:11) set in 2005.

Prinsloo recently placed a close second behind four time winner Chad Ho at the world’s biggest open water swim, the Midmar Mile and has his sights set on the 10km race at the Rio Olympics in 2016. He placed 12th in the 10km at London 2012.

Seconded by world renowned, veteran cold water swimmer, Ram Barkai who has mentored him in coping with icy water, Prinsloo set off from Robben Island on Wednesday morning at a lighting pace.

He slowed down after 3km due to the impact of the cold water which averaged around 15◦C. “It looked like a record swim from the outset. But, Robben Island is a tricky crossing and the currents and the cold have broken many experienced swimmers,” said Barkai. “The final push came in the last 1.5km when I held aloft a white board stating: Record Time, GO, GO, GO!”

Troy squeezed a big grin, put his head down, and sped up. ‘What an awesome day for South Africa – the record is back in our hands thanks to Troy.” Barkai exclaimed.

Prinsloo said he was “over the moon.” “I’m very happy with this achievement. Conditions were good and I gave it my best. I want to thank everyone who assisted, particularly Speedo for backing me.”

Speedo SA’s brand president Stuart Hopwood said he was thrilled with Prinsloo’s record saying he was an inspiration. “We salute Troy for yet another great accomplishment and pledge our ongoing support to him and other South Africans who continue to push the envelope in world class fashion.”

“I’m very happy with this achievement. Conditions were good and I gave it my best. I want to thank everyone who assisted, particularly Speedo for backing me.”

2009 University of Georgia men's Swim Team

1,650 Freestyle

NCAA: 14:26.62 N 03/24/01 Chris Thompson Michigan

NCAA Meet: 14:26.62 M 03/24/01 Chris Thompson Michigan

American: 14:26.62 A 03/24/01 Chris Thompson Michigan

US Open: 14:26.62 O 03/24/01 Chris Thompson Michigan

    Name                 Year School               Seed     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
  1 Prinsloo, Troy            UGA              14:43.14   14:30.91   20  
    r:+0.73  24.54        50.64 (26.10)
        1:17.00 (26.36)     1:43.19 (26.19)
        2:09.47 (26.28)     2:35.71 (26.24)
        3:02.22 (26.51)     3:28.68 (26.46)
        3:55.20 (26.52)     4:21.72 (26.52)
        4:48.16 (26.44)     5:14.73 (26.57)
        5:41.41 (26.68)     6:08.01 (26.60)
        6:34.72 (26.71)     7:01.42 (26.70)
        7:28.06 (26.64)     7:54.61 (26.55)
        8:21.31 (26.70)     8:48.00 (26.69)
        9:14.49 (26.49)     9:41.06 (26.57)
       10:07.50 (26.44)    10:33.88 (26.38)
       11:00.14 (26.26)    11:26.65 (26.51)
       11:52.99 (26.34)    12:19.54 (26.55)
       12:45.83 (26.29)    13:12.19 (26.36)
       13:38.62 (26.43)    14:05.01 (26.39)    14:30.91 (25.90)

2009-2010 (Senior Season)
• Named the SEC Male Athlete of the Week on Nov. 4 based on his performance against Florida.
• Selected as a co-captain along with Hunter Lainhart.
• Named the recipient of the Damon Evans Swimming Scholarship Endowment.

2008-2009 (Junior Season)
• Won the national title in the 1,650 freestyle and came in fifth in the 500 freestyle at the NCAAs. • Came in ninth with the 800 freestyle relay at the NCAAs.
• Owns Georgia’s fastest 1,000 freestyle, second-fastest 500 and 1,650 freestyle, and 10th-fastest 400 individual medley times.
• Named First Team All-SEC after winning the 500 and 1,650 freestyle events at the SECs.
• Finished 10th in the 400 individual medley and swam with the seventh-place 800 freestyle relay team at the SECs.
• Chosen as the recipient of the Harvey Humphries Swimming and Diving Endowed Scholarship.

2007-2008 (Sophomore Season)
• Finished second in the 1,650 freestyle and fifth in the 500 freestyle at the NCAAs.
• Swam on the 800 freestyle and the 200 medley relays at the NCAAs.
• Named Second-Team All-SEC after finishing as the runner-up in the 500 and 1,650-yard free at the SEC.
• Placed 17th in the 200 freestyle at the SECs.

2006-2007 (Freshman Season)
• Did not compete due to NCAA international transfer regulations. High School
• Graduated from Kearsney College.

International

Springboks Murray McLachlan, coach Alex Bulley, Laura Ranwell and Aubrey Burer at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games.

Murray 'Tich' McLachlan was born in Johannesburg in 1941. He attendedcthe King Edward VII (KES) school in Johannesburg, and also Maritzburg College, before completing a BComm degree at the University of Natal between 1958 and 1960. He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Wadham College in Oxford Univesity in 1961, where he completed a Masters degree in Jurisprudence. He next completed an MBA at Standford University in California.

Swimming for Natal at the 1956 South African Swimming Championships, Tich finished 4th in the 1650 freestyle. In 1957 he won the 1650 in 19:42,5, and he placed second in the 220 and 440-yard freestyle events. In 1958 he won the 440 and 1650, finishing in 18:58,0. In July 1958 he swam the 1650 in 18:19,2 at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, winning the bronze medal in the 1650-yard freestyle event. 

In 1959 at the SA Championships in Johannesburg, Tich won the 220, 440 and 1650 freestyle events. He repeated this in 1960 at Cape Town, where also won the 400 IM. In Kimberley in 1961 he again won those four events. He also finished 4th in the 100 freestyle and third in the 100 backstroke. 

Tich won 4 titles at the 1960 South African swimming championships. 

He swam at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, where he competed in the 400 and 1500-metre freestyle events. He finished 6th in the final of both events. His time in the 1500 was 17:44,9 compared to his bronze medal-winning time at the Commonwealth Games of 18:19,2. Jon Konrads won that race in 17:45,4.

In 1961 Tich won the 1500m freestyle and came second in the 400m at the Universiade World Student Games in Bulgaria. At the 1963 Universiade in Brazil, Tich finished second in the 400m and third in the 1500m freestyle events.

While studying at Oxford Tich played water polo for the famous London Otters Club. After university, he moved to California where he continued to compete in Masters events. 

He married Judith Ray Sutton in 1971 and became a naturalized USA citizen in 1981.

Tich, based in California, competed in the South African National Masters freestyle events, winning the 400m
and taking second place in the 100m, 200m, and 800m in his age group.

From his LinkedIn page

Over thirty years of experience as a corporate officer with varied responsibilities and as a strategic, financial and industry consultant. Vice President Corporate Development and Board Secretary for TeraLogic for seven years. Prior to joining TeraLogic, established a management consulting practice for the electronics and semiconductor industries. Earlier, served as Vice President Corporate Development of LSI Logic Corporation for seven years and served on the Board of Directors of Nihon Semiconductor and LSI Logic KK. Earlier still, held senior management positions at Fairchild, including Vice President Strategic Planning, and General Manager of Asia.

1958 Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Cardiff: At the finish of the men's 1650-yard freestyle - Murray McLachlan (left) after finishing third behind Australians, Jon Konrads and Gary Winram.

Murray with Aubrey Burer at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. 

Coach Alex Bulley with Murray, Laura Ranwell and Aubrey Burer.

Terry was from Pretoria and swam for Northern Transvaal, where he was coached by Francis Horn. He was the only male swimmer selected to represent South Africa at the 1938 Empire and Commonwealth Games.

At the Games, the 110-yard freestyle results were:

1st Bob Pirie (CAN) - 59,6  2nd Terry Collard (SAF) 60,8 - 3rd William Fleming (AUS) 61,0

Molly Ryde and Terry Collard at the 1939 South African Championships