The indomnible Terence Parkin (Mr. Price Seagulls) showed a clean set of heels when he powered his way to a new Continental mark of 4.08.19 in the Individual Medley during the opening night of the Telkom SA short course championships in Durban on Thursday night.

The championships had a distinct international flavor to it and the capacity crowd were not disappointed. Competitors from Sweden, Great Britain, Slovakia, Slovinia and the USA have been invited to test the metal of the local swimmers.

Parkin came into the final 200m a tad off the British duo of Stephen Parry (4:15.90) and Adrian Turner (4:18.16) to post a phenomenal back leg in slashing nearly two and a half seconds off his mark of 4:10.56 set at the FINA World SC Championships in Athens in March 2000.

His winning time of 4:08.19 is the second fastest time of the current season behind Italian ace Alessio Boggiatto who posted a 4:06.99 at the recent European SC Championships in Antwerp and augers well for the forthcoming world championships to be held in Moscow.

His win overshadowed the effort of his club mate Rohan Jacobs, who at only 14 years old claimed sixth place in a South African age group record of 4:40.54 eclipsing his mark of 4:42.71 set in the mornings heats. This correspondent predicts a bright future for this up and coming youngster.

In his opening address, Mr. Gideon Sam the President of Swimming South Africa welcomed all to the Zulu Kingdom, that forms part of the African continent, which is a beautiful part of South Africa that personifies what the Rainbow Nation is all about. Beautiful people, beautiful beaches, beautiful landscape and beautiful game reserves.

He added that he hoped that the international visitors would leave this part of the world wiser and enriched by the experience. He thanked them for coming to South Africa to support the federations' efforts to promote and spread the support of swimming.

He added that it was important for local swimmers to rub shoulders with the likes of Lars Frolander, Martina Maricova, Amanda Beard, Sarah Price and Zoe Baker to inspire them to reach the great heights that these individuals had reached.

Sam also indicated that this was to be a "test case" for bigger things to come. The Federation has agreed in principal to stage the Penny Heyns Invitational in the future. This meet will pay tribute to a lady who has made her mark on the aquatics world.

He hoped that the internationally invited swimmers would consider favorably an invitation to come back to the Republic, where he felt the swimming world would witness an awakening giant that is South Africa.

The evening's proceedings got underway with the quarterfinal elimination rounds of the International Sprint Challenge.

The ladies 50m butterfly got proceedings underway. Here it was the Swedish duo of Johanna Sjoberg (27.30) and Anna-Karen Kammerling (27.37) who advanced to the evening's semi-final elimination along with Slovakian Martina Maricova (28.19) and Candice Nethercott (Linrand - CGA) who posted a 28.17.

The men's 50m breastroke followed and the local trio of Brett Peterson (Mr. Price Seagulls) (27.87), Brendon Dedekind (Pietermaritzburg Seals) (28.15) and Parkin (28.26) headed the challenge with Sweden's Jens Johanssen (28.39) completing the quartet.

The woman's 50m breastroke is sure to be a crackerjack affair with the inform Zoe Baker from Great Britain heading the challenge in a impressive 30.70. She was followed by local lass Sarah Poewe (Vineyards) (31.08) with Emma Igelstroom (31.30) from Sweden a tad ahead of the USA's Amanda Beard (31.48).

The 50m backstroke for men completed the challenge with the Swedish duo of Jens Petersson (25.94) and Daniel Lonnberg (25.99) heading the field with the Mr. Price Seagulls duo of Simon Thirsk (26.22) and the up and coming Alain Tardin (26.52) progressing through.

The men's 100m-butterfly semi final followed and it was Swedens' Olympic champion Lars Frolander who was pushed all the way by Theo Verster (Pietrmaritzburg Seals) to claim top spot for tomorrow nights' final. Frolander advanced in a time of 52.71 while a fast finishing Verster claimed a 52.72. Roland Schoeman won his heat comfortably in a time of 53.32 and the stage has been set for a fast final.

The ladies 100m freestyle saw Helene Muller (Dolphins) claim top spot for tomorrow nights final in a 55.72 marginally ahead of Swedens' Johanna Sjoberg (55.80). Christy Cech from Pietermaritzburg Seals claimed third spot in 56.16 ahead of the Swedish duo of Cathrin Carlzon (56.44) and Jenny Redlund (57.45), while the promising youngster Melissa Corfe (Mr. Price Seagulls) 57.77 can never be underestimated.

The 100m backstroke for woman saw Sarah Price from Great Britain show her class when she claimed the top spot for tomorrow nights final in a fast 1:00.45, while Charlene Wittstock (Mr. Price Seagulls) looked comfortable posting a 1:01.38 with the promising Romina Armellini (Wanderers) claiming the third fastest time in 1:02.69. The 15 year old Melissa Corfe showed her versatility when she headed the pack in 1:03.36 and cannot be underestimated.

The first final of the evening saw Mandy Loots post a world championships qualifying time in the 200m butterfly when she went a 2:10.35 ahead another rising star and Dolphins teammate Lize-Marie Retief. The 15 year old Retief posted a 2:14.10 ahead of the illustrious Emma Igelstrom from Sweden who had to settle for bronze in 2:15.38.

British distance swimming has come on in leaps and bounds since the appointment of Bill Sweetnam as head coach and this was evident in the men's 200m freestyle when the duo of Jamie Salter (1:48.73) and Edward Sinclear (1:49.80) claimed the top two places in convincing fashion. Stephen Ackerman (Mr. Price Seagulls) (1:50.17) turned in a gutsy performance to edge out another Briton, Greame Smith (1:51.43) to prevent a clean sweep of the medals by the visitors.

In the evenings last individual final it was Sara Nordenstam from Sweden who totally dominated the ladies 400 individual medley in 4:41.15 well ahead of the promising duo of Marizanne Grundlingh (Vineyards) (4:52.53) and Candice Little (Mustangs) (4:50.52) who were involved in an exciting duel for the minor placing.

The semi-final elimination rounds of the Telkom International Sprint Challenge followed.

The ladies 50m butterfly saw Martina Maricova advance to tomorrow nights' final posting a 26.87 ahead of Candice Nethercott (27.87) and will be joined in the showdown by Anna-Karin Kammerling (27.37) who edged out compatriot Johanna Sjoburg (27.25) in the other swim-off.

The men's backstroke final tomorrow night will be an all Swedish affair with Jen Petersson coming head to head with compatriot Daniel Lonnberg. Petersson took care Simon Thirsk when he edged him out at the wall posting a 25.60 to Thirsks'26, 00 while Lonnberg (25.74) won comfortably against Tardin (26.78).

The woman's breaststroke is sure to be a scintillating affair with Zoe Baker (30.70) having posted the fastest time when she accounted for Emma Igelstom (30.90). She will come face to face with local ace Sarah Poewe (30.82) who had to work hard for her win over Amanda Beard (31.18).

The men's breastroke saw Jens Johansson and Brendon Dedekind post a dead heat time of 28.30. This resulted in a swim-off with the Swede claiming a spot in the final when he pulled out all the stops to go one better in a time of 28.16 while the game South African had to settle for a 28.49. Johansson will come up against Brett Peterson who accounted for teammate Terence Parkin when he scorched to a 27.84. Parkin posted a 28.31.

The ladies 1500m freestyle timed final followed with the return to top-flight competition of Natalie du Toit. In claiming second place in a time of 16:49.87 the courageous Cape Town schoolgirl has confounded critics and in less than a year after tragically losing her lower left leg in a motor accident has returned to top flight competition in an effort to attain her goal, that of participating in the Olympic games. The event was won by Maretha van Wyk (Supersport Seals Health) in a time of 16:46.79, while Kristi Kuhlmey claimed bronze in 17:23.45 a tad off the pace.

                 Telkom S A National Swimming (25m) Champion.                  
                         Durban -  3 to 6 January 2002                         
                                    Results                                    
 
Event 105  Men 100 SC Meter Butterfly
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       World: # 50.44  08/12/2000  Lars Frolander                      
      Africa: & 52.14  23/05/2000  Roland M Schoeman at NCAA Div       
South Africa: * 52.14  23/05/2000  Roland M Schoeman at NCAA Div       
    Name                     Age Team                 Prelims      Semis        
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Semi-Finals
  1 Fr