Four Qualifiers On First Night Of South Africa Commonwealth Games Trials

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 13: Calvyn Justus 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

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South Africa’s top swimming talent celebrated the Day of Reconciliation in true Mzansi style with a total of four Commonwealth Games Qualification times during the opening day of the KZN Aquatics Premier Championships at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre tonight.

First in the water and first to achieve a Commonwealth Games qualification time was 22 year old Calvyn Justus with a golden 55.57, to the required 55.95, while the silver was claimed by Jacques van Wyk in 56.44 and the bronze by Martin Binedell in 57.01.

The excitement continued as Ayrton Sweeney also added his name to the Commonwealth Games qualification list in the 200m breaststroke, just under five seconds ahead of the competition in 2:11.64 to Luan Grobbelaar’s 2:16.83 and Bailey Musgrave’s 2:17.10.

A quick start earned Erin Gallagher the gold medal and her first Commonwealth Games qualification time in the 100m butterfly, touching the wall in 58.93, to the 1:00.53 requirement, followed by Dune Coetzee (1:01.15) in second and Chloe Horne (1:03.94) in third.

Brent Szurdoki was on top of the world in the final of the 400m freestyle, posting a Commonwealth Games qualification time of 3:53.24 and overtaking Jacques jv Rensburg and Eben Vorster in the process, who finished second and third in 3:57.47 and 3:58.75, respectively.

In other results, Tatjana Schoenmaker was happy with her 50m breaststroke win in 31.44, while Kaylene Corbett was second in 32.36 and Hanim Abrahams third in 32.56, while the 400m individual medley first place went to Jessica Whelan in 4:55.25, followed by Marlies Ross in 4:55.32 and Samantha Randle in 4:56.81.

In the age group races, the 11 and under 50m breaststroke gold went to Emily Martens (10) in 39.05, ahead of Monica Botha (10) in 41.13 and Chloe Graff (11) in 41.91, while the 12-13 category was won by Emma Kuhn (12) in 35.06, Georgia Butcher (13) came second in 35.99 and Kelly-Ann Brown (12) third in 37.52. In the 14-15 age group 50m breaststroke race, Paige Brombacher (14) walked away with the gold in 33.83 ahead of Tailyn Seyffert (15) in 34.42 and Shana Hurndall (15) in 36.30.

In the 11 and under 100m backstroke, the top spot was claimed by Enrico Vorbeck (11) in 1:16.65, with the silver going to Luca Sandri (10) in 1:17.17 and the bronze to Joshua Paton (11) in 1:18.81. The top three places in the 14-15 100m backstroke went to Jacob Armon (14) in 1:01.65, Michael Duckham (15) in 1:02.23 and Denilson Cyprianos (15) in 1:02.49.

Luca Holtzhausen had a flying start to the competition, winning gold in the 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke 12-13 age group category in 1:02.31 and 2:30.16, respectively.

Connor Reinders (11) was victorious in the 11 and under 200m breaststroke in 3:05.63, followed by Lukas Smithers (11) in 3:07.31 and Vorbeck (11) in 3:16.99, while Matthew Sates’ time of 2:27.33 won him the 14-15 gold, with the silver going to Tyron Klynhans in 2:33.01 and the bronze to Armon in 2:34.44.

The 11 and under 100m butterfly medal podium was made up of Kate Andersson (1:19.38), Chloe Graaff (1:20.06) and Amy Rabe (1:21.22), while the 12-13 race winners were Emma Christianson in 1:06.65, Luchelle Oosthuizen in 1:08.92 and Ambrin Pienaar in 1:10.00, with the gold, silver and bronze went to Kirsten de Goede, Tailyn Seyffert and Tori Oliver in 1:03.58, 1:05.93 and 1:06.60, respectively.

The KZN Aquatics Premier Championships and Commonwealth Games Trials will continue tomorrow with the heats starting at 09h00 while the finals will begin at17h00 daily.

Qualifying Times following Day 01 – Commonwealth Games:

Calvyn Justus – 100m backstroke (55.57)
Ayrton Sweeney – 200m breaststroke (2:11.64)
Erin Gallagher – 100m butterfly (58.93)
Brent Szurdoki – 400m freestyle (3:53.24)

Press release courtesy of Swimming South Africa.

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