African Long Course Championships: Mandy Loots Doubles Up
CASABLANCA, Morocco, September 19. IN the final day of pool swimming at the African Long Course Championships, South Africa's Mandy Loots doubled up with a pair of meet records.
South Africa went 1-2 in the women's 200 fly with Loots lowering her own meet record with a 2:11.97 for the win. That swim crushed her 2008 record of 2:16.64. Teammate Bianca Meyer finished second in 2:18.25, while Tunisia's Nesrine Khelifati placed third in 2:18.69.
Loots returned in the women's 200 back to double up with a 2:15.66. That swim eclipsed the 2002 meet mark of 2:17.16 set by Atmann Romy. Teammate Jessica Ashley Cooper touched second in 2:17.28, while Tunisia's Sarra Lajnef claimed third in 2:25.04.
South Africa's Jay Cee Thomson topped the men's 200 IM with a time of 2:02.95, clearing the previous meet record of 2:05.00 set by Ous Mellouli in 2002. Tunisia's Taki Mrabet also cleared the old standard with a second-place 2:04.92. South Africa's Wesley Gilchrist picked up third in 2:06.73.
Kenya followed with a 1-2 of its own in the men's 50 free. David Dunford won in 22.69, while brother Jason Dunford snared second in 22.83. South Africa's Werner Bosman wound up third in 22.99.
In relay action, South Africa's Darren Murray, William Diering, Garth Tune and Neil Watson won the men's 400 free relay in a meet-record 3:43.53.