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Phillip Seidler

Philip Seidler is an open-water swimmer from Namibia. Nambia - or South West Africa as it was until 1990 - competed as a province at the annual South African National Aquatic Championships, and athletes from Namibia still compete in South Africa. Seidler won the 10 km bronze medal at the 2021 South African Open Water Swimming Olympic Trials in March 2021. He finished 16th at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games 10km marathon event. 

Seidler has been coached by his mother since he was 12 when his previous coach, June Owen-Smith, retired after 26 years as coach at the Swakopmund Swimming Club. Seidler runs an open water workshop in Namibia aiming to help unconfident or new swimmers with ocean swimming. His partner Amica De Jager is from Port Elizabeth. She is a former Woodridge College lifesaver and swimmer who has represented South Africa at surf lifesaving and marathon swimming.

What is the highest accolade you have achieved in swimming and what is your greatest personal accomplishment?

Taking part at the Junior World Swimming Championship Singapore 2015. Meeting swimmers from all over the world, different cultures and sharing the water was a big highlight. My biggest achievement was the OTB Jetty Mile and taking the triple crown. This event is also very unpredictable – sometimes, we have to swim in big swells or ice cold water. My latest personal achievement was breaking six Namibian records at SA Nationals in Durban in one gala. 24 June 2021.

Port Elizabeth - 26th March 2021 

Swakopmund swimmer Phillip Seidler showed his sea swimming prowess as he had a successful weekend of racing in South Africa.

Seidler’s first stop was at Marina Martinique, competing at the South African Nationals for the 10km and the following day the 5km Bellbuoy Ocean Race Challenge in Port Elizabeth.

Seidler said that the South African Open Water Nationals was held last Friday where he participated in the 10km and ended 3rd overall with a time of 1 hour and 55 minutes and 6 seconds.

Seven in a row for Seidler

28 December 2019 - The Namibian

PHILIP Seidler won the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile for the seventh consecutive year in a new record time in Swakopmund on Friday.

The local Swakopmunder was once again a class apart from the more than 300 entrants, winning the 1,9km event in a time of 18 minutes 33 seconds, which was more than two minutes ahead second-placed Luca Simonetti of Italy (20:41), while Xander Skinner came third in 21:08.

Seidler’s girl friend Amica de Jager of South Africa won the Women’s Elite category, while she also finished second overall in a time of 20:33. The 17-year-old Heleni Stergiadis came second in 23:33 and Vicky Botha third in 23:40.

Seidler was elated with his achievement.

“Being the champion for the seventh time in this year’s Pupkewitz Jetty Mile, will be one of my most memorable Jetty Miles ever, especially sharing the water and experience with my girlfriend, Amica De Jager. This year I was aware of being challenged by an international Italian swimmer, Luca Simonetti, and my friend, Xander Skinner, both sprinters, swimming in America,” he said.

“To defend my title, the focus was to set a higher race pace and to use my open water tactics, acquired from international exposure, to ensure a win. I used the average swell and rough conditions to my favour, which made the race more exciting and enabled me to break my record of last year.

“At the finish line, I got the biggest surprise, noticing my girlfriend, Amica, was my biggest challenger, who took the second overall win with Luca Simonetti taking third. I also want to congratulate every competitor that challenged the tough conditions of the Jetty Mile – at the end of the day this makes us all winners,” he said.

De Jager said it was a great experience.

“I am a South African open water swimmer and surf lifesaver from St Francis Bay and I’ve been here visiting my boyfriend, Phillip Seidler, for the holidays.  I was extremely excited to take part in my first Jetty Mile alongside Phillip and I absolutely loved every second of the race.  It had all the elements I love best about open water races – the waves were rough, the current was flying and there was ample wind chop with the added excitement of rounding the rocks into the Mole,” she said. 

“I was extremely surprised to finish second overall to Phillip in a time of 20:33. I did not expect that, it was a super close race to the finish, but I just kept telling myself not to give up and to push harder. I was incredibly happy to take the win of the females.  The Jetty mile was an extremely fun race and the best way to end the year off – tackling the Namibian ocean with all its challenges,” she said.

The Pupkewitz Jetty Mile, which was organised by OTB Sport, started at Tiger Reef, passing around the jetty and then headed towards the Mole Beach, with the exit on Main Beach. The sea and weather conditions were good, while swell was fair size and sea temperature around 17 degrees, making it a comfortable swim. 

Amica de Jager has been the biggest star in a week of outstanding performances at the DHL Lifesaving South Africa National Championships Picture Anthony Grote

Amica de Jager’s medal haul at DHL Lifesaving SA National Champs books Egypt ticket

Oct 8, 2021

Port Elizabeth 

Durban Surf’s Amica de Jager’s week at the DHL Lifesaving South Africa National Championships just keeps on getting better.

The 22-year-old De Jager, who won five individual golds, a team gold and an individual silver in the surf competition earlier this week, added more silverware in the Pool Championship taking place at Newton Park, and also got confirmation of selection for Team South Africa’s participation at the 2021 ILS Africa Championship in Alexandria, Egypt, from December 1-5.