South Africa Short Course Championships: Kathryn Meaklim Finishes With Seven Wins

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 7. DURBAN-based Olympic swim star Kathryn Meaklim enhanced her reputation as one of the leading female swimmers on the national aquatics scene, by totaling seven gold medal-winning performances, at the four-day Telkom SA Short Course Championships, which ended at the Delville Swimming Pool, in Germiston.

Representing Pisces A.S.C, Meaklim, 19, powered her way to gold in the 200 meter individual medley in 2"12.65, ahead of Cape Town Olympic star Jessica Pengelly (2:12.99), before clocking 2:01.56 to take the 200 meter freestyle title.

Earlier, Meaklim triumphed in the 200 meter butterfly (2:11.74), 400 meter individual medley (4:41.53), the 800 meter freestyle (8:57.63), the 200 meter breaststroke (2:28.56) and the 400 meter freestyle (4:12.42).

Roland Schoeman's 50 meter freestyle world record of 20.64 was the undoubted highlight of the championships, while African bests set by Schoeman in the 50 meter butterfly (22.74), Cameron van der Burgh in the 50 meter breaststroke (26.61), and van der Burgh, Darren Murray, Marius Hattingh and Gregor Widmer, under the guise of TuksSwimming – NT in the 400 meter medley relay (3:39.99), gave swimming enthusiasts much to cheer about.

Add in the fine form shown by triple gold medalist Chanelle van Wyk, who equaled the national 50 meter backstroke record of 28.00 held by Charlene Wittstock, and also made it to the top of the medal podium in the 50 meter freestyle (25.84) and 100 meter backstroke (1:00.75), and fans can look forward to some fast times by the South Africans at the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup to be held in Durban from October 17-18.

In the multi disability program, Central Gauteng's Craig Groenewald secured a world record in the 200 meter individual medley, finishing in 2:21.96, to add to his gold medal won in the 100 meter freestyle earlier in the day (56.28). Groenewald was in fine form at the short course showpiece, collecting a total of 10 gold medals.

Special thanks to Swimming South Africa for contributing this report.

Results – Day 04

Men:

200m Breaststroke: 1 W Diering (TuksSwimming – NT) 2:13.29, 2 R Smit (Progress Swimming Academy – LP) 2:18.45, 3 K Duckitt (Waterborn Swimming Club – CG) 2:21.68

100m Freestyle: 1 G Widmer (TuksSwimming – NT) 48.94, 2 N Watson (Waterborn Swimming Club – CG) 50.13, 3 G Kieck (Aquabear Swimming Club – NT) 50.22

100m Backstroke: 1 G Tune (Mandeville Dolphins – CG) 53.03, 2 D Murray (TuksSwimming – NT) 54.80, 3 L Shankland (Mr. Price Seagulls S.C. – KZN) 55.58

200m Butterfly: 1 S Rousseau (Vineyard SC – WP) 1:56.45, 2 W Gilchrist (Mr. Price Seagulls S.C. – KZN) 2:01.16, 3 J Faure (Vineyard SC – WP) 2:04.70

1500m Freestyle: 1 J Ellis (Pisces A.S.C. – KZN) 15:54.63, 2 T Venter (TuksSwimming – NT) 16:07.66, 3 M Meyer (Mandeville Dolphins – CG) 16:20.60

200m Individual Medley: 1 R Schoeman (Pisces A.S.C. – KZN) 1:59.91, 2 J Hill (Mustangs – CG) 2:06.00, 3 R Bester (SuperSport Seals H&A – LP) 2:06.26

4 x 100m Medley Relay: 1 TuksSwimming – NT 3:39.99 (African record), 2 Waterborn Swimming Club – CG 3:49.64, 3 Mandeville Dolphins – CG 3:54.38

Women:

100m Breaststroke: 1 S van Biljon (TuksSwimming Club – NT) 1:08.78, 2 J Liss (Karoly Swimming Academy – EP) 1:10.88, 3 C Mower (Pisces A.S.C. – KZN) 1:10.88

100m Butterfly: 1 M Loots (Mandeville Dolphins – CG) 58.58, 2 C van Wyk (Mr. Price Seagulls S.C. – KZN) 1:00.92, 3 M Scott (Onyx Aquatic Club – ES) 1:02.46

200m Individual Medley: 1 K Meaklim (Pisces A.S.C. – KZN) 2:12.65, 2 J Pengelly (University of Stellenbosch – WP) 2:12.99, 3 J Liss (Karoly Swimming Club – EP) 2:20.09

200m Freestyle: 1 K Meaklim (Pisces A.S.C. – KZN) 2:01.56, 2 L Burger (University of Stellenbosch – WP) 2:06.17, 3 M Stephens (Waterborn Swimming Club – CG) 2:07.57

200m Backstroke: 1 J Pengelly (University of Stellenbosch – WP) 2:12.65, 2 J Ashley-Cooper (Tygerberg Aquatics – WP) 2:14.60, 3 T Prout (Sandton Seals Swimming Club – CG) 2:16.16

4 x 100 Medley Relay: 1 TuksSwimming – NT 4:17.39, 2 Mandeville Dolphins – CG 4:25.39, 3 Sandton Seals Swimming Club – CG 4:29.22

Multi Disability:

Men:

100m Freestyle: 1 Craig Groenewald (BISH – CG) 56.28, 2 C Wright (MDOL – CG) 57.08, 3 R de Freitas (WAV – MP) 1:09.63

200m Individual Medley: 1 Craig Groenewald (BISH – CG) 2:21.96, 2 C Wright (MDOL – CG) 2:26.72, 3 R de Freitas (WAV – MP) 2:55.40

Women:

200m Individual Medley: 1 D Makgakga (MDOL – CG) 2:04.19, 2 K Rantlakwe (MDOL – CG) 2:38.58, 3 S Khumalo (MDOL – CG) 2:13.64

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