Suzaan van Biljon pockets Women’s 50m breaststroke gold: Day seven - South African LC Nationals
Suzaan van Biljon of NTS-NT pocketed gold medal of the Women’s 50m breaststroke on seventh day of the South African Long Course Nationals at the KZN Aquatic-Kings Park Centre in Durban on Sunday, April 22.
The 23-year-old Biljon sustained her fastest qualification spot of the race in playoff as she outsmarted her challengers over the finishing end in a wonderful manner.
With her stupendous efforts, she showed no leniency to her rivals in the single-lap breaststroke event as she proved her mettle for the crown of the discipline by posting a time of 32.61 seconds.
The gold medallist remained nearly 1.80 seconds slower from the national mark of 30.83 seconds, owned by Penny Heyns at the Pan Pacific Championships in 1999.
The champion was trailed by Taryn MacKenzie of CGA-CG, who stayed 0.17 seconds slower from her former finisher and tapped the finishing wall for silver medal by clocking a time of 32.78 seconds.
The 18-year-old MacKenzie was followed by her team-member, Justine Macfarlane, who remained nearly half a second behind and settled on the finishing blockade with the timing of 33.29 seconds for bronze medal.
Following that, fourth position of the discipline was secured by Tara Nicholas of KZNA-KZ, who was just 0.26 seconds away from securing bronze medal of the discipline and finished fourth by touching the wall with the timing of 33.55 seconds.
Nicholas was followed by Kelsey Jenkinson of WPA-WP, who remained only just a stroke slower from her foregoing finisher and hit the wall with the timing of 33.64 seconds for fifth position.
Next spot of the race was secured by Franko Jonker of NTS-NT, who finished sixth in the discipline by posting a time of 33.87 seconds.
Jonker was trailed by Cheri Knoesen of EP-EP, who ended her swim in seventh place by submitting a time of 33.89 seconds.
The 19-year-old Knoesen was chased by Gen Greevelink, who secured eighth position of the discipline by posting a time of 34.50 seconds.
Furthermore, the championship ended after the completion of all planned events in Men and Women’s category while the winners collected medals after the session.
Tags: