South Africa Long Course International Invitational Meet: Randall Bal Posts Sprint Back Bellwether Mark, Kirsty Coventry Doubles

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, January 30. THE inaugural South Africa Long Course International Invitational Meet finished two days of action with several more strong outings by Randall Bal and Kirsty Coventry.

Bal paced the world with a 24.83 in the men's 50 back. That swim cleared Camille Lacourt's 24.88 from Nancy, France earlier this month as the world best early in the year. Gerhard Zandberg touched second in 25.16, while Liam Tancock claimed third in 25.65.

Coventry topped the women's 400 IM in 4:41.35. Mireia Belmonte (4:44.84) and Kathryn Meaklim (4:45.75) completed the top three. Coventry doubled up with a 1:01.00 in the women's 100 back with Elizabeth Simmonds touching second in 1:01.54. Fabiola Molina finished third in 1:01.79.

Fran Halsall topped the women's 100 free in 55.90, while Tatiana Barbosa finished second in 56.19. Karin Prinsloo wound up third in 56.93. Ross Davenport followed up in the men's 200 free with a 1:50.07. Benjamin Starke (1:50.26) and Chad Le Clos (1:50.36) also finished in the 1:50s for second and third. Starke went from second in the 200 free to first in the men's 100 fly with a winning 53.51. Le Clos posted a second-place 53.92, while Neil Watson took third in 54.23.

Tatiane Sakemi won the women's 50 breast in 32.99, while Lowri Tynan finished second in 33.04. Conchi Badillo wound up third in 33.53. Joao Luiz Gomes Jr. touched in 1:02.04 for the men's 100 breast title. Neil Versfeld finished just behind with a second-place 1:02.09, while Raphael Rodrigues placed third in 1:02.92.

Belmonte won the women's 200 fly in 2:12.43, while Vanessa Mohr, 15, finished second in 2:15.07. Christy Lategan wound up third in 2:17.72. Dylan Bosch walked home with the men's 200 IM crown in 2:03.00. Diogo Yabe touched second in 2:04.43, while Ahmed Mathlouthi placed third in 2:06.36.

Simmonds snatched the women's 400 free in 4:19.02, while Michelle Weber, 14, finished second in 4;21.88. Caitlin Kat posted a third-place time of 4:22.35. George Bovell topped the men's 50 free in 22.39. Gideon Louw (22.86) and Grant Turner (23.12) finished second and third.

Heerden Herman dominated the men's 1500 free with a winning time of 15:07.73. Myles Brown earned second-place honors with a 15:35.93, while Mark Randall touched third in 15:37.51.

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