Another African Record Falls as du Rand Lowers 200 LCM Back Standard in Final Day of Swimming South Africa Trials

By Jason Marsteller

DURBAN, South Africa, December 17. IN the final day of the KZN Provincial Swimming Championships and Swimming South Africa World Championships Trials, George du Rand eclipsed the two-minute threshold in the 200 long course meter backstroke event to knock more than a second off his previous African standard.

Women's 100 Freestyle
Liezl Burger snagged gold in 57.49, while Lize-Mari Retief placed second in 57.76. Leone Vorster rounded out the top three in 57.99.

Men's 100 Freestyle
Coming off an African record last night, Lyndon Ferns beat an ailing Ryk Neethling in the 100 free, 49.27 to 49.54. Meanwhile, Gerhard Zandberg finished third in 50.22.

Women's 50 Breaststroke
Suzaan van Biljon continued a great meet with another win, this time in the one-lap breaststroke. She touched in 33.38 to hold off second-place Tammy Laubscher's 33.67. Yolana du Plessis took third in 34.30.

Men's 50 Breaststroke
Cameron van der Burgh captured the sprint breast title in 28.38, while Donaven van der Merwe hit the wall in 29.08 for second place. Matthew Josephson and Nathan Lavery tied for third in 29.32.

Women's 200 Backstroke
Melissa Corfe picked up gold in the 200 back with a time of 2:13.42, easily downing second-place Clair Archibald's 2:18.77. Tannith Prout closed out the podium with a third-place 2:20.26.

Men's 200 Backstroke
In the highlight of the final day of action, George du Rand became the first sub-two-minute African in the 200 back. He clocked a winning time of 1:58.81 to erase the 2:00.20 he previously set on Dec. 14, 2005.

In the best seat in the house, 16-year-old Charl van Zyl finished second in 2:07.05, while Chris King took third in 2:07.30.

Women's 400 IM
17-year-old Kathryn Meaklim nabbed the 400 IM gold in 4:46.09, while 15-year-old Jessica Pengelly finished second in 4:47.70. Completing the youth movement in the event, 17-year-old Bianca Meyer took third in 4:51.96.

Men's 400 IM
Similar to the women's side, a trio of under-18 swimmers took medals in the men's 400 IM. 17-year-old Riaan Schoeman placed first in 4:25.43, while 16-year-old Jay-Cee Thomson finished second in 4:28.84. 17-year-old Rousseau Kluever wound up third in 4:35.26.

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