South Africa Short Course Championships: Flash Roland Schoeman Shoots Down Short Course World Record

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 6. ROLAND Schoeman took the men's 50 free world record over the short course away from Duje Draganja at the South Africa Short Course Championships.

Schoeman clocked a time of 20.64 to wipe out the 20.81 set by Draganja at the 2008 World Championships held in Manchester, England this year.

"Having missed the world record by one hundredth of a second in the semi-final the night before, I knew I had a chance, but even though I had a rest by not swimming in the morning session, people are always asking if I was able to really break the world record today, so it is always on one's mind," Schoeman told meet organizers. "I felt that I was reaching on my last arm length, but other than that I was happy with my swim."

Chanelle van Wyk was also in impressive form as she equaled Charlene Wittstock's long-standing national record of 28.00 set back in Rio de Janeiro six years ago. Cape Town-based Van Wyk also took gold in the 50 meter freestyle in 25.84.

Special thanks to Swimming South Africa for contributing to this report.

Men:

50m Freestyle: 1 R Schoeman (TuksSwimming-NT) 20.64 (World record), 2 G Widmer (TuksSwimming-NT) 22.43

50m Butterfly: 1 R Schoeman (TuksSwimming – NT) 23.45, 2 G Tune (Mande Dolphins – CG) 24.06

100m Breaststroke: 1 W Diering (TuksSwimming-NT) 1:00.14, 2 T Moeketsane (Soweto Aquatic Club-CG) 1:01.11, 3 W Karsten (TuksSwimming-NT) 1:02.73

100m Individual Medley: 1 S Rousseau (Veinyard SC-WP) 54.57, 2 W Glichrist (Mr Price Seagulls SC – KZ) 54.78, 3 K MacMIllan (Uni Stell-WP) 57.72

400m Freestyle: 1 R Schoeman (Pisces A.S.C-KZ) 3:50.49, 2 J Ellis (Pisces A.S.C-KZ) 3:55.89, 3 J Thomson (Pisces A.S.C-KZ) 3:58.45

800m Freestyle Relay: 1 Vineyard SC- WP 7:52.45, 2 TuksSwimming – NT 7:57.28, 3 Mustangs-CG 8:01.05

Women:

50m Freestyle: 1 C van Wyk (Mr Price Seagulls S.C-KZ) 25.84, 2 L Burger (Uni Stell – WP) 26.13

50m Backstroke: 1 C van Wyk (Mr Price Seagulls S.C-KZ) 28.00 (equal SA record), 2 T Prout (Sandton Seals Swim Club-CG) 29.73

100m Individual Medley: 1 M Loots (Mandeville Dolphins-CG) 1:02.27, 2 K Meaklim (Pisces A.S.C-KZ) 1:04.37, 3 T Roe (Karoly Swimming Academy-EP) 1:05.94

800m Freestyle: 1 K Meaklim (Pisces A.S.C-KZ) 8;57.63, 2 K van Heerden (TuksSwimming-NT) 9:03.64, 3 N de Vos (Supersport Seals-LP) 9:07.32

400m Freestyle Relay: 1 TuksSwimming – NT 3:56.49, 2 Sandton Seals Swimming Club-CG 4:02.98, 3 Waterborn Swim – CG 4:04.02

Mixed Multi Disability:

Men:

100m Breaststroke: 1 C Groenewald (Bish-CG) SB14 Class 1:14.02, 2 C Wright (Mdol-CG) SB14 class 1:15.09, 3 R de Freitas (Wav-WP) SB14 class 1:30.64

100m Butterfly: 1 C Groenewald (Bish-CG) S14 class 1:02.65, 2 R de Freitas (Wav-WP) S14 class 1:21.84, 3 M Mainganye (Mdol-CG) 1:52.18

Women:

100m Breaststroke: 1 D Makgakga (Mdol-CG) SB9 class 2:11.98, 2 S Khumalo (Mdol-CG) SB9 class 3:03.18, 3 P Ngubeni (Mdol-CG) SB6 class 3:52.85

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