Final rounds of the 2011 Telkom South Africa National Championships - Day one
Day one of the 2011 Telkom South Africa National Championships concluded with the events of 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 200m butterfly and the 50m breast-stroke in the Men’s and Women’s category.
The Championship will conclude with the selection of the South African swimming team to compete at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, this July.
The session started with the Women’s 200m freestyle final, where NTS-NT’s Karin Prinsloo dominated the event in a time of 2:00.89 minutes. Her team-member, Leone Vorster and KZNA-KZ’s Natalie Elphick touched the wall for second and third place in a wonderful
time of 2:01.66 and 2:03.65 minutes, respectively.
In the Men’s 50m backstroke semi-final, NTS-NT’s Gerhard Zandberg emerged as the fastest swimmer to qualify into the final in a time of 25.75 minutes, ahead of the KZNA-KZ’s Charles S Crous and NTS-NT’s Darren Murray, who clocked 25.87 and 26.08 seconds
for the second and third fastest qualification, respectively.
Moments later, Vanessa Mohr appeared as the fastest swimmer into the final with a timing of 26.28 seconds. Mohr’s time matched the FINA A time qualification standard for the World Championships but her spot for China will be confirmed after the final of
the same event. She was followed by Marne Erasmus and Mandy T Loots, who touched the wall in 27.45 seconds and 27.78 seconds, respectively.
After a few minutes, Heerden Herman won the Men’s 400m freestyle final in an astonishing time of 3:51.08 minutes and was followed by Riaan Schoeman and Miles M Brown, who touched the wall for the silver and bronze medal in 3:52.26 and 3:53.11 minutes, respectively.
In the Women’s 200m IM, KZNA-KZ’s Kathy Meakin produced a wonderful swim to earn the title in a time of 2:18.20 minutes. NTS-NT’s Jessica Pengelly and her team-member Rene’ D Warnes, touched the wall in 2:18.20 and 2:19.25 minutes, respectively.
The next event was the most astounding battle of the session, where the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion, Chad Le Clos produced a glazing swim in the Men’s 200m butterfly to earn the gold medal in a time of 1:57.20 minutes. His time was comfortably under
the FINA time qualification standard for the World Championship. Sebastien Rousseau and Dylan Bosch followed him on the podium for the silver and bronze medal in a time of 1:57.95 and 1:59.21 minutes, respectively.
The last session of the day was the Women’s 50m breast-stroke semi-final, where Suze Van Biljon proved her fastest qualification in a time of 32.40 seconds and was followed by Claire Conlon and Taryn Mackenzie with a timing of 32.96 and 33.19 seconds, respectively.
Le Clos was the only one to confirm his spot for China, while Prinsloo and Rousseau will have to wait for the championship to conclude, as they clocked a time under the FINA B qualification standard. Both the swimmers’ spots will be confirmed after the completion
of the meet.
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