The third day of the SA National Short Course Championships added to the Mandela Day festivities when talented SA Youth clocked fast times and set new records.
Mzansi’s talent was evident when 16 year old Erin Gallagher led from start to finish, claiming the 100m freestyle gold medal in a new Short Course Championship Record time of 53.93. The previous record stood at 53.96. Gallagher also qualified fastest in both the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle semi-finals in 1:00.89 and 25.51 respectively.
Karin Prinsloo walked away with the silver in that event, with a time of 53.96 but later on in the evening triumphed in the 400m freestyle, clocking a fast 4:11.48 to Marlies Ross’ 4:15.98 and Caitlin Kat’s 4:20.39.
Ross was also not done for the day as she walked to the top of the medal podium in the 100m individual medley, posting a quick 1:03.47 ahead of Jolandi Els in 1:04.04 and Kristen Straszacker in 1:05.67, while Vanessa Mohr won the gold in the 50m butterfly with a time of 26.75.
Tayla Lovemore ended second in 27.92 and Lehesta Kemp third in 27.99. Lovemore also qualified first in the 50m backstroke semi-final in 29.63.
19 year old Calvyn Justus showed his passion by winning two gold medals on the night. In the 100m freestyle, Justus was victorious in 49.00 while 3:52.71 was the time he needed to win the 400m freestyle.
Douglas Erasmus and Daniel Ronaldson were second and third in the 100m freestyle in 49.34 and 49.80, while Ruan Ras and Jason van der Touw won the silver and bronze in the 400m freestyle in 3:53.72 and 3:58.13 respectively.
Ronaldson concluded the third day of competition with a gold medal in the 100m butterfly with a time of 53.95 ahead of Alard Basson in 54.38 and JP van der Merwe in 54.74.
The 100m individual medley race was won by Neil de Villiers in 55.54, while Alaric Basson finished second in 57.12 and Nail Fair third in 57.17. De Villiers was also quick off the block in the 50m backstroke semi-final, coming in first in 25.37.
It was a battle to the end between Jarred Crous and Cheyne Fisher in the 100m breaststroke as Crous edged out in the end with a time of 1:01.32, just 0.01secs ahead of Fisher in 1:01.33. James Isemonger finished third in 1:01.91.
Crous was also fast in qualifying for the final of the 50m breaststroke after ending first in the semi-finals in 27.88.
In the relay events, the Players Swimming Club team of Taneal Baptiste, Eune Odendaal, Lehesta Kemp and Michee van Rooyen won the 4 x 200m freestyle in 8:35.47, while the men’s TUKs teams claimed both the 4 x 50m freestyle and 4 x 200m freestyle relays in 1:40.29 and 7:44.56 respectively.
In the multi-disability events, Alani Ferreira (S1 – 13) was happy to win yet another two gold medals in the 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly in 1:27.64 and 1:24.89 respectively, while Cornell Loubser (S14 – 15) scooped the 100m butterfly title in 1:06.29 and Maritza Snyders (S14 – 15) the 100m breaststroke in 1:39.28.
Aaron Putz (S14 – 15) also added two gold medals to his tally, this time in the 100m breaststroke in 1:14.97 and the 100m butterfly in 1:09.31.
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2015 South African Short Course Nationals, Day 3 – Results