Mandy Loots and Taki Mrabet dominate heats: African Senior Championships - Recap
Mandy T Loots of RSA-ZZ and Taki Mrabet of TUNIS-ZZ won the preliminary rounds of Women’s 200m Individual Medley (IM) and Men’s 100m backstroke respectively on sixth day of the 11th African Senior Swimming Championships 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya
on Saturday, September 15.
The second last day of the championship featured qualifying rounds of the 200m IM, 100m backstroke, and 50m freestyle in Women and Men’s corner.
The 34-year-Loots showed no mercy to her opponents in the first round of the IM discipline and secured the top qualification round. She remained in a comfortable lead over her strongest challenger and paved her way to the final round by touching the wall
with a timing of 2 minutes and 26.44 seconds.
The top qualifying swimmer was chased by Rene’ D Warnes of RSA-ZZ, who stayed one body length away from her former finisher and occupied second best position by hitting the wall with a timing of 2 minutes and 27.30 seconds.
Warnes was traced by Zeineb Khalfalla of TUNIS-ZZ, who remained 1.99 seconds apart and entered the playoff with a timing of 2 minutes and 29.29 seconds.
Fourth best qualifying position of the race was obtained by Rowida Mohamed Tolba of EGY-ZZ, who was 2.01 seconds apart and clocked an effort of 2 minutes and 31.20 seconds.
After that, Mrabet showered his expertise in the 100m backstroke prelims, where he faced tough battle from his subsequent rival but managed to claim first position.
With his relentless efforts, Mrabet remained just an inch ahead of his following swimmer and qualified for the final with a timing of 1 minute and 00.09 seconds.
His fastest qualification effort was followed by Ricky C Ellis of RSA-ZZ, who remained 0.13 seconds apart and hit the wall with a timing of 1 minute and 00.22 seconds.
Third best qualification spot of the event was followed by Ellis’ teammate, Michael J Meyer, who was 0.10 seconds away from overpowering his preceding swimmer and touched the wall with an effort of 1 minute and 00.32 seconds.
Meyer was trailed by Omar Abo EL Soud of EGY-ZZ, who was 0.41 seconds away from his former finisher and clocked an effort of 1 minute and 00.73 seconds for fourth position.
Third event of the race was 50m freestyle, where Lehesta Kemp of RSA-ZZ outperformed her opponents and qualified in the final round as fastest swimmer with a timing of 26.53 seconds.
Kemp was followed by Kyna Pereira of RSA-ZZ, who remained nearly 0.80 seconds behind and clocked a time of 27.31 seconds.
Pereira was chased by Hossam EL Badri Rowan of EGY-ZZ and Amel Melih of ALGE-ZZ, who ended their swims in third and fourth place with timings of 27.48 and 27.60 seconds respectively.
Furthermore, these swimmers will contest each other in the final round to secure top spot on the victory stand.
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