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--- Lane 9 News ---
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Moeketsane Breaks Through at South African Short Course Champs -- October 1, 2006
PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa, October 1. THABANG Moeketsane achieved a special feat at the South African Short Course Championships when he won his first gold medal. The 19-year-old won the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.76, followed closely by his teammate William Diering of Tuks who finished in 1:00.79.
A beaming Moeketsane said he was very happy as it was his first gold medal he earned at a national meet even though he recently won two gold medals (50 and 100 breaststroke) at the African Senior Championships in Senegal.
"It was a very hard race and I tried to take it out as fast as I can, but is always difficult swimming against (Diering) because we train together and know each other well,” Moeketsane said. “But I was at home for five days and did not swim so perhaps the rest did me good.
"The past year was difficult because my swimming took a dip, but in Senegal I got close to my best times again which was nice.”
Melissa Corfe won her third gold medal of the meet when she led from the start in the 400 freestyle. The swimmer from Seagulls in Natal won easily in 8:32.35, more than ten seconds ahead of Christy-Leigh Lategan of Mustangs, who finished second in 8:45.37.
Gerhard Zandberg added two more gold medals to his tally of three when he won the 50 freestyle (21.97) and the 50 butterfly (23.95). He is on course to win five gold medals Sunday at the meet as he finished fastest in the semifinals of the 100 backstroke and second fastest in the 100 freestyle.
Hanna-Maira Seppala, one of Finland’s top swimmers, bagged two gold medals on the third day of the meet. She won the 50 freestyle in 25.27 but Lauren Roets of Gauteng came a close second in 25.65. Seppala later added the gold in the 100 individual medley in a time of 1:02.21.
"I have been spending the last two weeks training in South Africa for the European championships that will be held in Finland in December,” Seppala said.
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