South African National Championships: Darian Townsend Sets African Record in 200 IM

DURBAN, South Africa, April 17. DARIAN Townsend provided the biggest fireworks of the fourth night of long course swimming at the South African National Championships. He came through with an African record in the men's 200 IM.

Townsend clocked an African-record time in the men's 200 IM semis with a time of 1:58.33. That effort smashed his standard of 1:59.22 set at the Beijing Olympics currently recognized by Swimming South Africa as the record. Townsend, however, does reportedly have a 1:57.88 to his credit from the KZN Provincial meet in December. Riaan Schoeman also cleared 2:00 with a second-seeded 1:59.94, while Chad Le Clos finished third in 2:01.83.

Troyden Prinsloo captured the South African record in the men's 800 free with a time of 7:54.99 in the distance event. That swim cleared his record of 7:56.82 set back in 2006, and moved him closer to Ous Mellouli's African record of 7:51.03. Heerden Herman finished second in 7:57.32, while Chad Ho took third in 8:11.36.

Kathryn Meaklim downed the South African record in the women's 200 IM with a semifinal time of 2:14.44. That swim beat Jessica Pengelly's 2:15.22 set in last year at this meet. Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, who has the African record with a 2:08.59 from the Beijing Olympics, qualified second in 2:15.00. Pengelly nearly beat her best time with a third-seeded 2:15.71 to set up a potential three-way dance for the title.

Fresh off a strong backstroke day yesterday, Chanelle Van Wyk salted away the women's 100 fly title in 59.54 with Mandy Loots taking second in 59.83. Vanessa Mohr wound up third in 1:02.49.

Townsend took a run at Lyndon Ferns' national record of 51.90 in the men's 100 fly, but settled for the win in 52.14. Sebastien Rousseau placed second in 53.22, while Neil Watson took third in 53.36. Ferns bowed out after posting a 52.04 during semis.

In the women's 200 breast, Meaklim touched out Pengelly, 2:29.47 to 2:29.62, for the win. South African wunderkind Jessica Liss, 13, snared third in 2:32.51.

Neil Versfeld just missed his national record in the men's 200 breast with a winning time of 2:10.13. He owns the standard with a 2:10.06 set at the Beijing Olympics. William Diering posted a second-place 2:11.50, while Kyle Duckitt finished third in 2:16.38.

Van Wyk, who set the African record in the 50 back during semis with a 28.55, cruised to an easy victory in the finale with a 28.73. Karin Prinsloo finished second in 29.23, while Loots took third in 29.58.

Gerhard Zandberg closed out the men's 50 back crown with a 25.42, while Charl van Zyl touched second in 25.71. Ricky Ellis claimed third in 25.89.

Coventry had to drop a final 50-meter split of 29.96 to overcome Leone Vorster for the women's 200 free title, 1:59.49 to 1:59.88. The final split was nearly a second faster than Vorster's 30.82. Christy Lategan finished third in 2:03.86.

In the men's 100 free semis, Roland Schoeman qualified first in 48.61, while Ferns took second in 48.70. Townsend also cleared 49 with a third-seeded 48.79.

In multi-disability events, Renette Bloem won the women's 200 IM in 3:28.95, while Craig Groenewald took home the men's 200 IM in 2:23.98.

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