Kathryn Meaklim conquers Women’s 200m IM semi-finals: Day three - South African LC Nationals
Kathryn Meaklim of KZNA-KZ conquered the semi-finals of Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM) on third day of the South African Long Course Nationals at the KZN Aquatic-Kings Park Centre in Durban on Wednesday, April 18.
The 22-year-old Meaklim went full throttle in the four-lap IM event and is now just one-step away from securing gold medal of the discipline.
With her epic performance, she posted a time slightly under the Olympic A-Time Qualification Standard of 2 minutes and 13.36 seconds. Her effort remained 0.03 seconds under the time standard as she clocked a time of 2 minutes and 13.33 seconds for gold medal
of the discipline.
With her notable efforts, she remained nearly four seconds ahead of Jessica Pengelly of NTS-NT, who occupied second position in the semi-finals by submitting a time of 2 minutes and 17.76 seconds.
The 20-year-old Pengelly was chased by Meaklim’s teammate, Rene D Warnes, who stayed nearly two seconds behind and reported a time of 2 minutes and 19.52 seconds.
The 20-year-old Warnes was trailed by her team-member, Bianca Meyer, who remained almost one second slower from her foregoing finisher and tapped the wall with the timing of 2 minutes and 20.73 seconds.
Moments later, the crowd experienced ruthless aggression of Charl S Crous in the Men’s 100m backstroke. The 21-year-old Crous remained prominently ahead of his following swimmers and reached the victory stand for gold medal by posting a time of 54.17 seconds.
His scintillating struggle remained 0.63 seconds faster from Darren Murray of NTS-NT, who ended second with the timing of 54.80 seconds.
Murray was chased by Ricky C Ellis of CGA-CG, who captured bronze medal of the discipline by producing a time of 56.16 seconds.
The 24-year-old Ellis was trailed by Murray’s teammate, Nick De Villiers, who stayed marginally behind the bronze medallist and hit the wall with the timing of 56.75 seconds for fourth position.
Furthermore, the podium finishers were called upon the victory stand for awards and accolades where the arena applauded for forceful efforts of all position holders in their exclusive events at the medal ceremony of the championship.
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