Chad le Clos Adds Another World Cut, Erin Gallagher Breaks African Record at South African Nationals

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 13: Erin Gallagher during the finals session on day 5 of the SA National Aquatic Championships and Olympic Trials on April 13 , 2016 at the Kings Park Aquatic Center pool in Durban, South Africa. Photo Credit / Anesh Debiky/Swim SA

Photo Courtesy: Anesh Debiky/Swimming South Africa

The FINA and IPC World Championships Qualification times poured in at Durban’s Kings Park Aquatics Centre during the third day of the South African National Aquatic Championships tonight.

There was no stopping Erin Gallagher and Chad le Clos as they both added the 100m butterfly to their list of FINA Qualification times.

Gallagher sped to the finish with a new African and South African Record of 57.67, shedding 0.16secs from Egypt’s Farida Osman’s 57.83, while Tayla Lovemore ended second in 59.60 and Dune Coetzee third in 1:00.01.

Le Clos scooped his fourth gold with a FINA Qualification time of 51.39 ahead of Ryan Coetzee in 52.13 and Eben Vorster in 53.89.

KZN’s Ayrton Sweeney was over eight seconds ahead of the pack in the 400m individual medley, clocking a golden FINA Qualification time of 4:17.67 ahead of Dayne Odendaal in 4:25.83 and Ruan Ras in 4:25.96.

Tatjana Schoenmaker, Lara van Niekerk and Kaylene Corbett topped the 50m breaststroke in 30.97, 31.47 and 32.07, while the medal podium on the men’s side comprised of Michael Houlie, Alaric Basson and Brenden Crawford in 26.91, 28.33 and 28.43, respectively.

The title in the 400m individual medley went to Rebecca Meder in 4:49.33, with the silver medal going to Marlies Ross in 4:54.96 and the bronze to Samantha Randle in 4:54.97.

In the 50m backstroke, Olivia Nel took the honours in 29.36, followed by Nathania van Niekerk in 29.52 and Michaela de Villiers in 29.56, while Zane Waddell was victorious in the men’s event, touching the wall in 24.84 ahead of Christopher Reid in 25.36 and Pieter Coetze in 26.30.

In the 4x50m freestyle relays, the ladies’ Western Cape quartet of Emma Chelius, Aimee Canny, Inge Weidemann and Nel bagged the gold in 1:43.39 ahead of KZN’s Shana Hurndall, Kirsten de Goede, Gallagher and Lovemore in 1:44.84, while the KZN men’s team of Brad Tandy, Matthew Bosch, Joshua Walters and Ryan Coetzee won their respective relay in 1:31.18.

This year’s multi-disability section of the SA National Aquatic Championships also doubles as the official trials for the 2019 IPC World Championships, which will be held from 26^th July to 4^th August.

Paralympian Alani Ferreira (S13) celebrated her second IPC Qualification time of the competition in the 100m breaststroke, finishing with a time of 1:25.88, while team-mate Cornelle Leach (S12) came second with an IPC Qualification time of 1:34.22.

In the men’s 100m breaststroke, Johann van Heerden (SB9) and Hendrik van der Merwe (SB5) also added their names to the IPC Qualification list in 1:12.30 and 1:44.64, respectively, while Christian Sadie (S7) added his third in the 50m butterfly with an IPC Qualification time of 30.37.

The remaining gold medals in the 100m breaststroke were claimed by Michaela Kretzen (SB14) in 1:44.17 and Aaron Putz (SB14) in 1:14.63, while Kretzen also won the 50m butterfly in 37.16 and in the S14-15 men’s butterfly, the top place was won by Grenate Haupt in 32.75.

The SA National Aquatic Championships will continue tomorrow with the heats session starting at 09:30, while the finals will begin at 17:00 daily.

The staging of this event has been made possible through the support provided by Swimming SA partners, Sport and Recreation South Africa, SASCOC, National Lotteries Commission, Arena and Rand Water.

Qualifying Times – FINA World Championships – Day 03:

Chad le Clos – 200m butterfly – 1:56.21
Chad le Clos – 100m butterfly – 51.39
Erin Gallagher – 100m freestyle – 54.34
Erin Gallagher – 100m butterfly – 57.67
Tatjana Schoenmaker – 200m breaststroke – 2:24.44
Kaylene Corbett – 200m breaststroke – 2:25.62
Nathania van Niekerk – 200m backstroke – 2:11.37
Christopher Reid – 200m backstroke – 1:57.11
Ayrton Sweeney – 400m individual medley – 4:17.67

Qualifying Times – IPC World Championships – Day 03:

Franco Smit (S12) – 100m Backstroke – 1:05.25
Franco Smit (S12) – 50m Freestyle – 25.06
Alani Ferreira (S13) – 100m Butterfly – 1:21.13
Alani Ferreira (SB13) – 100m Breaststroke – 1:25.88
Christian Sadie (S7) – 50m Freestyle – 29.06
Christian Sadie (S7) – 50m Butterfly – 30.37
Christian Sadie (SB7) – 100m Breaststroke – 1:27.34 (heats)
Hendri Herbst (S11) – 50m Freestyle – 28.87
Johann van Heerden (SB9) – 100m Breaststroke – 1:12.30
Cornelle Leach (SB12) – 100m Breaststroke – 1:34.22
Hendrik van der Merwe (SB5) – 100m Breaststroke – 1:44.64

— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Swimming South African. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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Thomas A. Small

5 years ago

Congratulations