South Africa Continues Domination at African Swimming Championships

DAKAR, Senegal, September 15. DURING the fourth day of competition, South Africa increased its meet-leading medal total to 23 with a total of 13 golds, four silvers and six bronzes. Second place witnessed a change at the African Swimming Championships held in Dakar, Senegal, as Algeria surpassed Tunisia with 15 medals (5G, 5S, 5B), while Tunisia finished the day with 14 medals (3G, 7S, 4B).

Women’s 50 Backstroke
South Africa’s Lehesta Kemp captured her third gold medal of the meet with a 30.96 in the 50 backstroke by finishing ahead of Egypt’s Dina Hegazy, who touched second in 31.22. Meanwhile, Senegal’s Khadija Ciss took bronze with a 31.44.

Men’s 50 Backstroke
The Dunfords of Kenya kept it in the family with a top-two sweep in the 50 back. Jason touched out David by .15 with a 26.83 against David’s 26.98. Additionally, South African Stuart Rogers grabbed third in 27.04.

Women’s 100 Butterfly
South African Elzanne Werth picked up her fourth gold medal of the meet with a dominating victory in the 100 fly. Her 1:02.57 far surpassed the 1:03.41 posted by Algerian Fella Bennaceur, who claimed silver. Tunisia’s Mariem Meddeb rounded out the top three with a 1:04.42.

Werth built a lead of more than half a second at the 50-meter mark with a 29.26, which stood .67 seconds faster than Bennaceur’s 29.93 at the halfway mark.

Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Algeria’s Sofiane Daid crushed the field in the 200 breast with a 2:17.67 to win by nearly two seconds. South African Thabang Moeketsane suffered his first breaststroke defeat of the meet with a second-place time of 2:19.41. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Sherif Madkour snagged bronze in 2:23.73.

Daid proved to have much more in the tank than Moeketsane during the final 50 meters as he actually trailing the South African by .43 seconds at the 150-meter mark (1:42.14 to 1:41.71). Daid, however, dropped the hammer with a 35.53 final 50 compared to Moeketsane’s 37.70 final split.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke
South African Tamaryn Laubscher won her fourth gold medal of the meet with a conquest of the 100 breast. The South African touched first in 1:11.84 to down Algerian Meriem Lamri, who placed second with a 1:12.95. Morocco’s Sara El Bekri closed out the top three with a 1:14.17.

Laubscher pushed out to .42 second lead over El Bekri after the initial half of racing with a 34.06 split against El Bekri’s 34.48. Laubscher, however, came home in 37.78 while Lamri raced by El Bekri for second with a 38.19 split against the El Bekri’s 39.69.

Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay
Algeria’s squad of Nabil Kebbab, Badis Djendouci, Naoufel Benabid and Salim Iles came from behind to defeat the South African team comprised of Shaun Harris, Ryan De Klerk, Stuart Rogers and Fouche Venter. The Algerians touched in 3:28.15, while the South Africans recorded a 3:28.47. Egypt’s contingent of Mohamed Mamdouh, Ahmed Salah, Ahmed Mostafa and Abdel Rahman A. Bakr clocked a third-place 3:31.81.

Initially, Kebbab staked the Algerians to a .52 second advantage with a 50.83 leadoff leg against Harris’ 51.35. Djendouci fell behind De Klerk in the second leg with a 53.99 split against the South African’s 53.36 split. Benabid could not make up the difference in the third leg as the Algerian split a 53.05 when compared to Rogers’ 52.65. Iles, however, tracked down Venter to touch first with a 50.28 anchor leg against Venter’s 51.11.

Women's 1500 Freestyle
Seychelles' Shrone Austin completely scorched the rest of the field in the 1500 free with a 17:07.28. The closest competitor proved to be Tunisia's Maroua Mathlouthi, who touched second in 17:27.32. South African Natalie De Toit rounded out the top three with a 17:49.42.

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