The 17-year-old Tuks swimmer, Leah Markgraaff, won South Africa’s first medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal by finishing second in the 400m freestyle yesterday.
It was a truly gutsy performance. Markgraaff led the first 100 metres, but Ecuador’s Elvira Espinosa overtook her on the third lap. Espinosa won in 4:22.87, while Markgraaff finished second in 4:26.13—just 0.02 seconds slower than her personal best. Belgium’s Celya Paques finished third in 4:28.37.
In an interview just as she got out of the pool, Markgraaff said, “I do not think it has quite sunk in yet, but I think it is quite a good achievement and I am very happy about it. I really focused on getting out ahead early to get a good feel for the water. I enjoy getting out quickly to get ahead and settle into the race.”
Markgraaff went on to say what it meant to be Team SA’s first medallist at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games. “I was thinking about the possibility of this happening before the race, but now that it has actually happened, it is surreal. I am so proud to be representing my country, and to bring home our first medal is incredibly special to me.”
Swimming appears to be the sport the Markgraaff family loves. Her father, Henk, represented South Africa in triathlon as a junior athlete, while her uncle, Ryno, represented South Africa as a swimmer. Last year, Leah and her younger brother, Carter (15), both competed in the World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Argentina.
Leah Markgraaff had already shown signs of possessing “big match temperament” (BMT). She finished 15th; what made the performance remarkable was the fact that, after the first lap, she had been in 28th position. Giving up was not an option.
To say that Markgraaff is passionate about sport is no exaggeration. In addition to swimming, she plays hockey and participates in athletics; she has also played netball. Name any style of dance, and the chances are good that Markgraaff knows the steps. She practised ballet until last year, and she also knows how to tap dance and perform modern dance routines. However, she is happiest in the water.
“It doesn’t matter how rough my day has been; the moment I dive into the water, I start to relax. Sometimes, the swimming pool feels like my second home.”
When asked what the most important thing she learned from her father is, Markgraaff answers: humility.
“I understand from my mother that my father was a good triathlete, but he doesn’t talk about it. It is also important to me to remain humble, regardless of my achievements.”
