Lenie de Nijs

Lenie de Nijs at the Orient Baths pool in East London for the 1958 South African Swimming Championships, where she won 5 titles.

In 1957 the de Robben Swimming Club from Holland, coached by Jan Stender, toured South Africa. Lenie was one of the swimmers in that team.

In July-August 1955 she broke three freestyle world records over 1500 m, 880 yd and 1760 yd distances. She then changed to backstroke, winning three national titles over 100 m (1956–1958) and setting world records in the 200 m backstroke (1957) and 4×100 m medley relay events (1956 and 1958).

Lenie remained in South Africa after the tour finished. She resided in Boksburg and swam for Eastern Transvaal ASA at the 1958 national swimming championships. The Eastern Transvaal, which was established in that year, won the Ellis Brown Aggregate Trophy for the first and only time that year. Commonwealth medallist Natalie Myburgh, the national champion in 100 and 200m freestyle, and  Ian Human, the 100 backstroke champion, were also in that team.