Van Biljon Zooms to 100 Breast Gold at South African Championships

By Karien Jonckheere

DURBAN, South Africa, April 20. SUZAAN van Biljon has come a long way since winning her first national title as a plucky 14-year-old. And on Wednesday night she capped off a great season, which has included Commonwealth Games bronze and World Short Course silver, by winning the 100-meter breaststroke title at the Telkom South African National Championships in Durban.

Van Biljon swam 1:09.38 to finish well ahead of Daniella Zaverdinos (1:12.32) and Claire Archibald (1:12.78) and with her 18th birthday only a week away has plenty to celebrate.

"I felt quite bad in the water tonight but am pleased with that time," she admitted afterward. "We only had two days after we arrived back from Shanghai before coming here so I think my body is more tired than I
realize. It's great to win my third title in the 100 breaststroke. There has been such a big change since I won my first one four years ago. I have moved to Pretoria (from Bloemfontein) and have had three coaches in the meantime and I have been very surprised at how quickly my times have dropped since January last year."

Van Biljon still has the 50 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley to come but described the rest of the meet as a "fun gala," before rushing off to watch her friend and teammate William Diering win the men's 100 breaststroke in an impressive 1:02.46. Meanwhile, another of the country's Commonwealth Games medallists, George du Rand, put in his usual slick performance in the 200 backstroke, which he
won in 2:00.91. Chris King was second in 2:06.34 and Rohan Jacobs was third in 2:06.89.

"I was hoping for somewhere around this time so I'm happy but obviously it would have been nice to go under two minutes," Du Rand said after the race. "I've done a lot of racing over the last two months though so to be around my best time is satisfactory. I am still feeling surprisingly good although today my body was a bit sore.”

Earlier in the evening, Lauren Roets powered her way to victory in the 50 freestyle in 26.20 while Gerhard Zandberg took the men's title in 23.07. And Melissa Corfe claimed her second win of the competition by claiming the 200 backstroke title in 2:14.68. Up-and-coming 16-year-old Keri Shaw sprung a surprise on veteran Mandy Loots (who has also come off a long international season) by winning the 200 butterfly in 2:14.48. Loots was second in 2:14.88 and Christy Lategan third in 2:15.58.

In the men's 200 fly race it was Ryan de Klerk who took top honors in 2:04.69 with 16-year-old Western Province swimmer Rousseau Kluever second in a new South African age group record of 2:05.00. Wesley Gilchrist (who equaled the same age group record in the morning heats) was third in 2:05.68.

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