JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, December 2. PORT Elizabeth-based swim sensation Jessica Liss showed further signs of confidence, speed and rhythm, well beyond her tender age of 13 years, as the continent's stars shone brightly on the second session of finals at the 9th African Swimming Championships, held at the Ellis Park Aquatics Centre today.
Liss, who narrowly missed out on qualifying to represent SA in the 200 meter breaststroke at the Olympic Games held in Beijing earlier this year, capped off her sensational year of swimming action, in taking the 200 breaststroke gold medal in 2:33.39. Tunisia's Sarra Lajnef was the only swimmer to take the challenge to the SA youngster, and finished second in 2:40.54, followed by Zimbabwean Maxine Heard in 2:44.30.
The swimmers from countries including Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and the hosts, South Africa, certainly gave the crowd much to cheer about.
Swimming SA's hosting of the African showpiece was made possible thanks to the financial support of Telkom, the City of Jo'burg, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, Sport and Recreation SA, Gauteng Sport and Recreation, Arena and Bestmed, with the performances of Olympic 1500 free champion, Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli set to write the event into the history books of African swimming.
Mellouli, holder of the African records in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle and 400 individual medley, continued where he left off after collecting gold in the 200 freestyle and bronze in the 50 backstroke on the opening day on Monday, to collect wins in the 400 individual medley (4:25.16) and 800 freestyle (8:20.73).
Earlier, SA's girl power brigade added further cheer to the local fans, with three-time Olympian Mandy Loots (27.66) and young Megan Scott (28.63) collecting gold and silver in the 50 butterfly, while Cape Town-based All-Africa Games 800 and 1500 bronze medalist Dominique Dryding ended second in the 200 freestyle in 2:10.28, behind Tunisian Zeineb Khalfallah (2:08.04).
An approaching late-afternoon Gauteng thunder storm stayed away long enough to allow the completion of the swimming program, but expect further fireworks when the action resumes with a heats session at the Ellis Park Aquatics Centre on Wednesday.
Special thanks to Swimming South Africa for contributing this report.
Results
Men:
100 meters butterfly: 1 J Dunford (Ken) 52.49, 2 G Tune (SA) 54.25, 3 G du Rand (SA) 54.65
400 meters individual medley: 1 O Mellouli (Tun) 4:25.16, 2 R Schoeman (SA) 4:27.40, 3 T Mrabet (Tun) 4:37.31
50 meters breaststroke: 1 M Fall (Sen) 28.38, 2 T Moeketsane (SA) 29.15, 3 C le Clos (SA) 30.55
800 meters freestyle: 1 O Mellouli (SA) 8:20.73, 2 R Schoeman (SA) 8:24.17, 3 A Mathlouthi (Tun) 8:26.09
Women:
200 meters freestyle: 1 Z Khalfallah (Tun) 2:08.04, 2 D Dryding (SA) 2:10.28, 3 M Fraser (Zim) 2:10.58
200 meters breaststroke: 1 J Liss (SA) 2:33.39, 2 S Lajnef (Tun) 2:40.54, 3 M Heard (Zim) 2:44.30
50 meters butterfly: 1 M Loots (SA) 27.66, 2 M Scott (SA) 28.63, 3 Z Diop (Sen) 28.66