A capacity crowd turned up at the Kings Park Pool on Saturday evening to witness the third days finals of the Telkom SA short course championships which once again provided some exciting racing.

The Mr. Price Seagulls trio of Brett Peterson, Melissa Corfe and Charlene Wittstock along with the diminutive Mandy Loots (Dolphins) and Theo Verster (Pietermaritzburg Seals) all set new African and South African records in their respective items.

Despite the hot humid conditions the crowd provided much vocal support for all the competitors and all credit must go to the sponsors Telkom for ensuring that the quality international field that has been invited has provided world class opposition for the local swimmers to test their metal.

The finals of the Telkom International Sprint Challenge once again got matters underway.

The ladies 50m freestyle saw the Swedish duo of Johanna Sjoberg and Anna-Karin Kammerling come head to head in the first final of the evening. Despite Sjoberg coming up ahead of her compatriot, Kammerling hunted her down and coming off the wall it was any ones race. With 10m to go and the crowd urging them on Sjoberg edged ahead to claim victory in 24.98 while Kammerling had to settle for the minor placing in 25.15. Despite being well off fellow countrywoman Therese Alshammers' world mark of 23.59, both girls went under the continental mark of Rania Elwany from Egypt of 25.14.

The trend was set. Next up was the much-anticipated encounter between local hero Roland Schoeman (PAC) and the highly respected Swedish star, Lars Frolander in the men's 50m freestyle. Schoeman was off the blocks in a flash and came off the wall slightly ahead despite the attentions of Frolander. With the capacity crowd firmly behind him the blonde extrovert claimed a comprehensive victory over his more illustrious opponent in a time of 22.19. Lars posted a time of 23.05.

Charlene Wittstock claimed yet another continental mark in the ladies 50m backstroke when she accounted for Sarah Price from Great Britain. Price had had the better of the local lass in the longer distances, however it was Wittstock who had a great start and hung in there. Working on her turn and using the underwater to her advantage Charlene was victorious in a time of 28.26 shaving .19 seconds off her mark established at the recent FINA World Cup meet in Rio in November. Price had to settle for a 28.46.

After a short medal presentation it was again the duo of Schoeman and Frolander who came out to compete for honors in the men's 50m butterfly final. Again Frolander donned the ?suit? and set about the business. With a better start, Frolander came up with a slight advantage and coming off the wall was clearly in the lead. His powerful kick saw him seize the moment and clamed victory comfortably by a half a body length from Schoeman recording a respectable 23.74 while Schoeman had to settle for a 24.15.

The first of the evening's semi-finals followed.

The ladies 100m breaststroke saw Sarah Poewe post the fastest time when she recorded 1:08.05 well ahead of the rest of the qualifying field which was led by Emma Igelstrom from the Swedish team who recorded a time of 1:08.87. Poewes' Vineyards teammate Ziada Jardine headed a trio of those squad's swimmers in claiming the next three places. Jardine recorded a 1:10.28, while Natalie Burke (1:11.08) and Ingrid Haiden (1:11.27) to set up what is sure to be an entertaining final on Sunday.

In the first heat it was Simon Thirsk (Mr. Price Seagulls) who took the honors in 55.68 ahead of Sweden's Jens Petersson (56.16) and Daniel Lonneberg (56.51). The second heat saw Gerhard Zandberg (PAC) win in a time of 55.47. The lanky youngster from Pretoria eased off going into the wall and Sunday night's final is sure to bring out the best in him.

The ladies 100m butterfly saw Mandy Loots (Dolphins) pull out all the stops when she sliced ,10 seconds off her continental mark that she established at the recent FINA World Cup in Rio during November. Her time of 59.39 sees her claim top spot for Sunday nights final ahead of Swedish speedster Johanna Sjoberg (1:00.51) and her diminutive and promising teammate Lize-Marie Retief. The 15 year-old Retief, a waif of an individual recorded a time of 1:01.82, while Anna-Karin Kammerling from Sweden posted a 1:01.93. The final is sure to be a bustling affair with the Swedish girls sure to apply maximum pressure in their attempt for top honors.

The men's 100m freestyle saw Nick Folker (Pietermaritzburg Seals) claim top spot for Sundays final ahead of club mate Brendon Dedekind. Folker (48.89) and Dedekind (49.28) headed the pack that includes Lard Frolander (49.31), the promising Lyndon Ferns (Pietersburg) (49.45) and Roland Schoeman (50.66). This will surely be a cracker-jack affair.

The first final of the evening followed.

The Swedish team dominated the ladies 100m individual medley. Johanna Sjoberg led the field after the first 50m but it was the breaststroke specialists Emma Igelstrom and Sara Nordenstam who hauled her in and going into the final lap it was any ones race. Here Ingelstrom showed character and held on to claim gold in 1:03.65 ahead of a fast finishing Sjoberg ( 1:04.19) while a game Nordenstam had to settle for the bronze in 1:04.62 ahead of team mate Josefin Lillhage (1:04.81). Candice Little from Mustangs was the best South African when she claimed 5th place in 1:05.63.

The men's 100m individual medley followed and it was Eric Dorch from Sweden who claimed the title unchallenged in 56.07. The up and coming Alain Tardin from Mr. Price Seagulls did well to claim the silver in 56.41 ahead of his club mate, the indomnible Terence Parkin who posted a disappointing time of 59.32.

With the 100m breaststroke following, it was clear that Parkin was holding something in reserve. But it was again one of his teammates who put one over him. This time it was Brett Peterson swimming from lane 7 who claimed the honors. At the 50m mark it was still an open race with Peterson, Parkin and the Swedish duo of Martin Gustafsson and Jens Johansson all likely contenders. Peterson had a huge third lap and came off the wall going into the final lap with a half a body length advantage and claimed victory in a new African and South African record of 1:00.29 taking ,53 seconds off Parkins' mark established in February 2000. Parkin claimed the silver in 1:01.00 ahead of Gustafsson in a time of 1:01.72.

The ladies 400m freestyle followed and again it was a race that had the capacity crowd riveted. The Swedish duo of Jenny Redlund and Josefin Lillage set the pace with Marizanne Grundlingh (Vineyard) and Melissa Corfe (Mr. Price Seagulls) not to be outdone. After 150m there was nothing between the top four, but then Grundlingh made her move. Corfe and Lillage stayed with her and the trio matched each other stroke for stroke for another 75m. Marizanne surged again but it was Corfe who kept a watchful eye on her and met the challenge. The next 75m saw the lead change several times, but with 100m to go Corfe made her intentions known. She picked up her stroke and the 15 year old sensation claimed her second title of the meet as well as her second senior continental mark in 4:13.00. A game Grundlingh hung on for the silver recording a time of 4:16.32 with Lillage (4:17.57) claiming bronze ahead of Redlund (4:18.72) and Kings Park Falcons stalwart Kirsten van Heerden (4:19.66).

The men's 200m butterfly saw the fastest time ever recorded on the African continent when Stephen Parry from Great Britain gave an awesome display of power turns and underwater work to record an emphatic win over local stalwart Theo Verster (Pietermaritzburg Seals). Parry was always in control and systematically built up a commanding lead to win the event by a full body length from a game Verster. His time of 1:55.48 was a classy performance but take nothing away from Verster who posted a 1:56.80 to carve 1.23 seconds off his continental mark established at the recent FINA World Cup in Rio during November of 1:58.03, thereby taking the 200m butterfly in South Africa into a new dimension. Mark Lewis from the British team claimed the bronze ahead of Raazik Nordien (Vineyard) who recorded a time of 2:00.49.

The men's 800m freestyle completed the evenings' session. Here on of South Africa's up and coming swimmers, the 16 year old Troyden Prinsloo served notice to all and sundry that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future, claiming the title comfortably in a time of 8:10.17. Rudolf Wagenaar (Vineyard) won the silver in 8:24.69 ahead of Darryl Spires (Westville) in 8:31.71.

The meet concludes on Sunday.

                 Telkom S A National Swimming (25m) Championships                  
                         Durban -  3 to 6 January 2002                         
                                   Day 3 Results                                    
 

Event 205  Men 100 SC Meter Breaststroke
===============================================================================
       World: #   57.66  24/03/2000  Ed Moses                            
      Africa: & 1:00.82  05/02/2000  Terence M Parkin at Fina World      
South Africa: * 1:00.82  05/02/2000  Terence M Parkin at Fina World      
                1:00.47  WSC
    Name               Age Team                   Semis     Finals       Points 
===============================================================================
Finals
  1 Peterson, Brett     25 SGULL-KZ             1:02.85    1:00.29*WSC     20  
  2 Parkin, Terence     21 SGULL-KZ             1:00.91    1:01.00         17  
  3 Gustafsson, Martin  28 SWED-ZZ              1:02.42    1:01.72         16  
 

Event 209  Women 100 SC Meter IM
===============================================================================
       World: #   59.30  02/04/1999  Jenny Thompson                      
      Africa: & 1:02.75  03/04/1999  Julia Russell                       
South Africa: * 1:02.75  01/04/1999  Julia Russell at World Short C      
                1:02.84  WSC
    Name               Age Team                   Semis     Finals       Points 
===============================================================================
  1 Igelstr