Jarden Eaton looking like Mzansi’s next swimming legend
WILL the next Chad le Clos please stand up?
While many expect the heir to the South African swimming legend to be Matthew Sates, there is another rising young star in his wake.
National 50m butterfly champion Jarden Eaton has been racking up an impressive list of accolades since youth level for Team SA.
The swimming sensation from Johannesburg has been on six international tours.
Jarden won a silver medal at the 2022 Fina World Junior Championship; a silver and bronze at the Ghana 2021 Africa Championship; three gold, one silver and a bronze at the 2022 National Championships; and two bronze medals at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.
At the 2024 Africa Games in Accra, Ghana, he bagged two gold medals, one silver and a bronze.
Jarden is only 19 but is already proving that he is ready to step up and take on some of the big names of South African swimming.
Jarden is now setting his sights on the 100m butterfly at the 2028 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
He is currently one second off the qualifying time.
He could also take a dip at the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly, according to dad Vaughn Eaton.
He has been an integral part of Jarden’s journey since he took up swimming as a 7-year-old at school.
Jarden made a major breakthrough at the 2024 national champs at Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha.
He set the fastest time, of 24.18sec, over 50m at the prestigious competition.
He also bagged bronze over 100m, behind Le Clos and Sates.
Le Clos and Sates clocked 52.07 in a dead heat in that final, while Jarden’s bronze-winning time was 53.19.
Sates won gold in the 200m, after Le Clos withdrew from the final.
The SA National Champs will again take place at Newton Park Swimming Pool in April.
Le Clos, South Africa’s most decorated Olympian with four medals, has told his young friend and rival that he won’t be attending this year’s event.
“I was very sad when he told me. I just wanted to race him. I wanted to beat him while he’s still in the game, you know,” Jarden said.
“I’ve told him a few times I’m coming for him but he just laughs it off.
“I don’t think he’s taking me seriously yet, but we’ll see.”
Jarden is still smarting over his bronze medal in the 100m at last year’s nationals.
It has spurred him on.
“I would probably say I’ve picked up gym work. I would also say I’ve been a bit more dedicated ever since nationals,” he said.
“It was a tough one to swallow, coming third, because I really wanted to win last year, so this year I’m aiming for gold.”
His coaches, Richard Little and Kyle Baxter, have been working with Jarden at Crusaders in Johannesburg.
Baxter said the current Olympic A-qualifying time in the 100m butterfly is 51.7sec.
“Jarden’s best in the 100 fly was last year, where he went 53.1 and it’s on point,” he said.
“With LA 2028 we’ve put in milestones for Jarden, using things like the world champs in Singapore in July and August to track Jarden’s progress towards the 2028 set-up. The trials will be in April.
“As it stands on paper, Jarden has the B-qualifying times for the world champs in Singapore.”
He said the world champs will be his first big open international meet as a non age-grouper.
“We’ll know more after World Champs where his head is at but right now, on paper Jarden is on track for LA in four years.”
But does he have the potential to reach similar highs as his close friend?
“Chad has done it at a level that nobody else has done, so you can’t compare on accolades,” Baxter said.
“But does Jarden have the talent and willpower to be South Africa’s next golden boy?
“Of course! No doubt about it,”
The SA National Champs could be the perfect place to crown the heir apparent.