South Africa Short Course Championships: Big Names Added to Short Course World Championship Roster

PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa, August 17. SOUTH Africa wasted no time in filling its roster for the upcoming short course world championships in Istanbul, Turkey, holding its national championships close to the Olympics to allow the country's stars a chance to continue the success they found in London.

Chad Le Clos, the winner of the men's 200 fly at the Olympics and the reigning short course world champion in the 200 fly, got onto the short course worlds team in two events today. He won the 200 free final in 1:45.08, ahead of Darian Townsend's 1:45.38. Both swimmers were able to automatically qualify for that event in Turkey and give South Africa a boost in the 800 free relay. Leith Shankland was third with a 1:47.26.

Le Clos finished second to Roland Schoeman in the 50 butterfly semifinals, with Schoeman hitting the pad first in 22.80 to Le Clos' 23.81. Nico Meyer qualified third with a 24.06. Schoeman and Le Clos swam faster than the automatic qualifying time in the semifinals, and it is unclear if they will need to replicate that feat in finals tomorrow to make their place on the world championship team in the event official.

Jessica Pengelly and Kathrin Meaklim will also represent South Africa in the world championships in the 400 IM. Pengelly won the event in 4:35.95, while Meaklim was well back in 4:39.10, but still fast enough to earn automatic qualification. Rene Warnes took third with a 4:45.36.

Darren Murray was the final name to be potentially added to the world championship list today, as he posted the fastest time in the 100 backstroke semifinals in 52.84. Finishing second and third in the race were Neil de Villiers (54.46) and Garth Tune (54.56). As with Schoeman and Le Clos in the 50 butterfly, Murray may have to swim as fast or faster in tomorrow's final to get on the world championship team officially.

Also contested today was the men's 400 IM, won by Michael Meyer in 4:16.09. Dean Myhill placed second in 4:29.31 and Juandre Wiggill was third with a 4:31.35. In the men's 200 breaststroke, Neil Versfeld won the national title in 2:13.56, with Kyle Duckitt in second place in 2:14.82 and Terence Parkin in third with a 2:16.01.

The women's 200 butterfly featured a win by Mandy Loots in 2:11.79, with second place going to Kyna Pereira in 2:17.53 and third place going to Megan Stephens in 2:21.55.

Only two people contested the women's 1500 freestyle today. Sisters Carmen and Clarice Le Roux went 1-2 in the event, with Carmen touching first in 17:33.87 and Clarice well back in 17:47.70.

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