DURBAN, South Africa, April 16. THE final night of the South African Championships was capped by a national record by Jessica Pengelly in the 400 individual medley. The 15-year-old rising star clocked a time of 4:43.76 to take just over a second off the 4:44.77 she produced last month. The effort would have landed Pengelly a sixth-place finish at the recent World Champs.
Gerhard Zandberg raced in a trio of championship finals on the last night of the competition, taking gold in the 50 butterfly with a performance of 24.88. However, Zandberg was edged for the 100 backstroke crown by George du Rand, whose 55.89 was better than the 55.98 of Zandberg. In the 50 breaststroke, Zandberg again took second when his 28.84 finished behind the 28.10 of Cameron van der Burgh, the bronze medalist at the World Championships.
Already the winner of the 200 I.M. and 100 and 200 breaststroke events, Suzaan van Biljon prevailed in the 50 breast in 33.21. Other titles were secured by Melissa Corfe in the 100 freestyle (56.97), Mandy Loots in the 50 butterfly (27.80) and Riaan Schoeman in the 400 individual medley (4:21.05).