Marias finished fourth while Chris McGlynn put in a stand-out effort to round out the top five and claim his best ever Midmar Mile result.

Before the start of the men’s race at the aQuellé Midmar Mile, a touching tribute to the late Gareth Beech was held.

The mother and father and proceedings were halted momentarily as Race Director Wayne Riddin joined the family of the late Gareth Beech, a promising swimmer, who passed away unexpectedly and who loved the Midmar Mile, to scatter his ashes.

The Beech family also donated a trophy in Gareth’s memory to be awarded to the leading under-18 swimmer which, fittingly, which went McGlynn.

“I had a good swim today. Top five – I’m really stoked with that,” said McGlynn. “It was a very fast field. Last year I swam it in 20 minutes so to drop another two minutes, I was also really so stoked with that!

“It’s a huge honour for me to be the first person to win the Beech trophy!

“I really wanted to win that trophy because Gareth was a really good mate of mine. We went to Canada to compete in the Junior World Champs [in 2012] together and to win that trophy makes today even more special.”

The aQuellé Midmar Mile takes place annually at the Midmar Dam, just outside Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. For more info visit www.midmarmile.co.za

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association