Matthew Sates Picks Up Olympic Qualification in 200 IM at South Africa Grand Prix

Photo Courtesy: Swimming South Africa

Matthew Sates Picks Up Olympic Qualification in 200 IM at South Africa Grand Prix

The first 2021 CANA Grand Prix Swimming Meet finals session kicked off today at the Stellenbosch University Swimming Pool with Matthew Sates adding his name to the Olympic Qualification shortlist.

Sates posted an Olympic Qualification time during the heats session of the 200m individual medley, clocking 1:59.02 to the 1:59.67 requirement, but only managed 2:01.77 to win the gold medal in the event’s final. Sates won the 200 IM at South African Nationals earlier this year with a 1:59.69, just missing the A standard.

Later in the day, Sates also bagged the gold medal in the 50m butterfly in 23.93 ahead of Chad le Clos in 24.31 and Daniel Ronaldson in 25.03.

Le Clos went on to scoop two gold medals in the 200m butterfly and 100m freestyle.

In the 100m freestyle, Le Clos topped the medal podium in 49.41 ahead of Guy Brooks in 50.77 and Matthew Bosch in 51.01, while in the butterfly race, the Olympian touched the wall in 1:57.52 to Ethan du Preez’s 2:06.87 and Dylan Wright’s 2:13.82.

Sisters Olivia and Georgia Nel competed in the 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke, with Olivia winning both events in 26.22 and 30.02, respectively, while Georgia claimed the silver in the freestyle in 27.27 and the bronze in the backstroke in 31.09.

The bronze medal in the freestyle went to Zambia’s Tilka Paljk in 27.31 and the silver in the backstroke was won by Michaela de Villiers in 30.62.

Hannah Pearse was victorious in the 200m backstroke in 2:20.78, followed by Bernelee Doster in 2:21.59 and Holly Cleworth in 2:29.34, while Pearse also won the silver in the 200m freestyle in 2:10.21 behind Hannah Robertson in 2:07.96 and ahead of Holly Cleworth in 2:10.92.

The 100m breaststroke saw Lara van Niekerk, Savannah Voigt and Lana Janson win the gold, silver and bronze in 1:08.30, 1:19.97 and 1:20.45, while the winners in the 100m butterfly were Dune Coetzee, Rachel Groepes and Abigail Kotze in 1:02.03, 1:09.62 and 1:10.81, respectively.

Michael Houlie took home the gold medal in the 50m breaststroke in a fast 27.98 ahead of Luke Slabber in 30.67 and Malawi’s Filipe Gomes in 30.78, while the gold, silver and bronze in the 100m backstroke were claimed by Martin Binedell in 58.20, Wikus Potgieter in 1:00.04 and Corey Webb in 1:00.72

In the 400m freestyle, Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi, Botswana’s Andile Bekker and Keegan Wright won the top three spots in 4:10.59, 4:18.25 and 4:28.72, respectively, while Malawi’s Gomes claimed the gold in the 200m breaststroke in 2:31.44.

Emma Kuhn won the honors in the 400m individual medley in 5:09.14.

Swimming South Africa’s Olympic Qualifying Times:

Pieter Coetze – 100m backstroke – 53.62 (relay)
Ethan du Preez – 200m butterfly – 1:56.44
Chad le Clos – 200m butterfly – 1:55.88
Matthew Sates – 200m IM – 1:59.02 (heats)
Emma Chelius – 50m freestyle – 24.72 (heats)
Kaylene Corbett – 200m breaststroke – 2:25.18
Tatjana Schoenmaker – 200m breaststroke – 2:20.17; 100m breaststroke – 1:05.74

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

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