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Telkom South African Championships - Day 1 Report

Apr 12, 2002  - Neville Smith

The first day of the Telkom South African National swimming championships, which are also the Commonwealth Games trials, got underway at the Kings Park pool in Durban on Friday evening.

It was an evening that saw a number of upsets with the formbook being thrown out of the window.


Women's 400m Freestyle
KZN stalwart Kirsten van Heerden claimed the first gold of the championships when she won the 400m freestyle in 4:20.06. Maretha van Wyk (FS) took the silver in 4:23.40 with Marizanne Grundlingh (WP) claiming the bronze in 4:25.95. Pre race favourite, Melissa Corfe (KZN) was out of touch from the onset, feeling the effects of a nagging cough and had to settle for fifth place in a time of 4:28.14. Provincial teammate Kim van Selm claimed fourth place in a time of 4:28.09.

Although her winning time of 4 minutes 20.06 seconds was outside of the qualifying time set for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July she still stands a good chance of inclusion in the SA team for her gold medal winning performance.

"I am so happy," said the 22-year-old psychology student at the University of Natal (Durban).

"Always the bridesmaid, never the bride!

"As a senior swimmer I have always been second at nationals, ever since I can remember, and now I can finally climb up on to the winner's place on the rostrum for my medal."

Men's 400m Freestyle
The men's 400m final saw Swiss national Dominik Meichtry dominate proceedings from the onset when he claimed his first South African senior title in a time of 3:59.68. Mark Randall from Border had a great swim from lane 1 when he claimed the silver in a time of 4:00.86 with James Wilcox (WP) doing enough to take the bronze ahead of George du Rand (FS) in 4:02.43. du Rand recorded a 4:05.10.

Women's 50m Freestyle: semi-final
Saturday night's final of this event is sure to be a cracker-jack affair. Both Helene Muller (CGA) (26.70) and Renate du Plessis (WP) (26.76) won their respective semi-final events in convincing fashion and the stage is now set for an exciting showdown. Fourteen-year-old Lauren Roets (NTS) posted the third fastest time with a 27.13 while Candice Crafford looked good shadowing Muller in 27.19. Nicola Stanley (KZN) cannot be discounted after recording a 27.20.

Men's 50m Freestyle: semi-final
Olympian Ryk Neethling is certainly a class act. He goes into Saturday nights final as the top seed after posting a 22.94 in the second heat ahead of KZN teammate Nick Folker who went a 23.55. Hendrick Odendaal (WP) also swimming in the second heat claimed the third fastest time when he recorded a 23.56. Gerhard Zandberg (NTS) won the first heat in a time of 23.64.

Women's 100m Breaststroke: semi-final
Sarah Poewe headed a strong Western Province challenge when she claimed the top spot in a 1:09.78 to enter tomorrow night's final a firm favourite to reclaim her title that she won at Ellis Park last year. Ingrid Haiden (1:11.87) led the formidable provincial challenge ahead of Natalie Burke (1:12.80) and Ziada Jardine (1:12.90). The promising Tamaryn Laubscher (NTS) followed in 1:13.87 with stalwart Tanya Hildebrand (CGA) next best in 1:14.02.

Men's 100m Breaststroke: semi-final
Brett Peterson (KZN) and Chris Stewart (CGA) were involved in an exciting tussle in the second heat of this event. Peterson recorded the fastest time with a 1:03.12 while Stewart posted a 1:03.90. Terence Parkin (KZN) showed his class with a powerful second lap to register the third fastest time of 1:03.90 when won the first semi ahead of Kurt Muller (FS) (1:04.41) and Greg Owen (CGA) (1:04.74).

Women's 200m Butterfly: semi-final
Mandy Loots (CGA) turned on the gas to advance comfortably into Saturday's final in a time of 2:16.81 well ahead of the pack with training partner, the diminutive Lisa-Marie Retief posting the second fastest time in 2:21.88. The Western Province duo of Jade Antunes (2:23.44) and Lana Piemontesi (2:23.51) along with Sarah English (2:23.66) from KZN are likely to battle it out for the minor placing.

Men's 200m Butterfly: semi-final
While Theo Verster from KZN seems to have the title in the bag yet again after comfortably posting a 2:05.84 the battle for the minor placing is sure to be an exciting affair. The promising Andrew Hogg (WP) looked good with a fast finish to enter the final seeded second after recording a time of 2:06.67 ahead of Raaizik Nordien(WP) who posted a 2:06.92. Kenneth Smith (KZN) had an encouraging swim when he went a 2:08.05 while the up and coming Dustin Dale (CGA) (2:09.28) cannot be discounted.

Women's 200m Backstroke: semi-final
Nothing counts like experience and this event saw Charlene Wittstock step up a level when she posted a respectable 2:16.59 to advance to Saturday's final as the firm favourite for the title. Melissa Corfe (KZN) put her disappointing effort in the 400m freestyle behind her to post the second fastest time of 2:21.40, well ahead of Candice Little (CGA) (2:23.03) and Romy Altman (WP) (2:23.05)

Men's 200m Backstroke: semi-final
What an exciting final this event promises to be. Jeff Norton (KZN) pulled out all the stops to go into tomorrow nights final as the top seed when he went a 2:06.37, a shade faster than Gareth McGee (KZN) who posted a 2:06.44. A tad off the pace was Pieter Pelser (FS) in a time of 2:07.22 with Carl Marais (NTS) hanging in on 2:08.01. George du Rand (FS) had to settle for a 2:09.75.

Women's 4x100 freestyle relay
The Central Guateng combination of Mandy Loots, Leanne Calderia, Sasha Schwendenwein and Helene Muller claimed the gold in the ladies 400m freestyle relay in a time of 3:54.75. Kwa-Zulu Natal took the silver in 3:57.54, while Western Province won bronze in 3:58.95.

Men's 4x100 freestyle relay
The men's race saw the Kwa-Zulu Natal combination of Stephen Ackerman, Chris Sparks, Nick Folker and Ryk Neethling claim a narrow victory over the Western Province combination of Hendrick Odendaal, Brett Wood, Rudolf Wagenaar and James Wilcox. KZN took the honours with a 3:28.64 against Province's time of 3:28.85. Northern Tigers claimed bronze in 3:31.67.

                   Telkom S A National Aquatic Championships                   
                           Durban  12-17 April 2002                            
                                 Day 1  Results                                
 
Event 1  Women 50 LC Meter Freestyle
===============================================================================
       WORLD: # 24.13  22/09/2000Inge de bruijn at Olympic Game, NED           
      Africa: # 25.90  22/06/1997Rania Elwany, EGY                             
         S A: * 25.94  09/04/2000Hel