Midmar Mile: Mom and daughter undertake legacy swim
Mayuri Bhowan will be participating in her 20th race at the 2026 aQuellé Midmar Mile, while her daughter Kiara Naidoo will be doing her fifth race.
Image: Supplied.
JOHANNESBURG swimmer Mayuri Bhowan is set to mark a major milestone at the 2026 aQuellé Midmar Mile, aiming to complete the race for the 20th time.
The event, taking place from 5 to 8 February in KwaZulu-Natal, will see Bhowan joined by her 14-year-old daughter, Kiara Naidoo, who is targeting her fifth crossing of the famous dam.
Bhowan first swam the Midmar Mile as a 12-year-old in 1995. She credits her parents for encouraging her to take part in the race. “My parents played a huge role in inspiring me to swim my first Midmar Mile in 1995. They saw potential and drive in me, and I just needed that extra nudge. I already loved swimming, especially long-distance swims, so the idea of swimming the Midmar Mile excited me,” she said.
She added that completing the first race gave her a sense of accomplishment and solidified her love for swimming. Over the years, the Midmar Mile became a family tradition. “Those weekends, the travel, the preparation, and the family time became just as special as the race itself,” Bhowan said.
Mayuri Bhowan and her daughter Kiara Naidoo will be back in the water at this year's aQuellé Midmar Mile.
Image: Supplied.
Now, the tradition continues with her daughter. Kiara began swimming competitively at age nine and swam alongside her mother for the first time in 2022. “It was completely surreal. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride swimming alongside her,” Bhowan said. “After narrowly pipping her in our first Midmar swim together, she now beats me by a large margin, and she’s performing even better than I did at her age.”
The Bhowan family’s Midmar tradition extends beyond the water. Pre-race preparations include a short getaway to the Drakensberg, with family meals, cricket matches, and stretching sessions. On race day, the banks of the dam are lined with supporters including Bhowan’s parents, her brother Amit - a 10-time Midmar finisher - her husband, and her son.
“Completing 20 Midmar Miles would be a huge personal milestone for me,” Bhowan said. “To be doing it alongside my daughter, who will be swimming her fifth mile, makes it even more meaningful.”
Mayuri Bhowan and her daughter Kiara Naidoo will be back to compete in the Midmar Mile next month.
Image: Supplied.
Entries for the 2026 aQuellé Midmar Mile are still open at www.midmarmile.com