Renate du Plessis was the belle of the ball for Western Province after she upset the form book in a big way on the final night of the Telkom South African swimming championships at the Kings Park pool in Durban on Wednesday night.

The University of Florida student claimed another two titles when she first upset the Gauteng flyer, Mandy Loots in the 50m butterfly and followed this up with a victory in the 100m backstroke snatching victory from Charlene Witttstock.

While nothing can be taken away from the lady "gator", both Loots and Wittstock have just completed a punishing nine month program which saw them compete on four continents, in numerous meets and set a number of national and continental marks and both are visibly tired.

"I think I am as much in shock as the rest of the country at my achievements here, but I have to say that I trained very, very hard for the championships."

Another University of Florida student, Hendrick Odendaal claimed his first national title in the men's 50m butterfly to give that institution a unique double at these championships, dual 50m butterfly titles.

Women's 50m Breaststroke
From the gun the result was with out a doubt and the battle was to be for the minor placing. Sarah Poewe, the only swimmer to make the tough Swimming South Africa QT at these championships, broke the water a half a body length ahead of the pack and maintained this lead into the wall.

She claimed the title in a time of 32.47 ahead of her training partners and provincial teammates Ziada Jardine (33.13) and Ingrid Haiden (33.23). Fourth place was taken by another "province" swimmer when Claire Williams touched in 34.20 ensuring a clean sweep for coach Karoley von Toros.

Tamaryn Laubscher (NTS) (34.71) finished well to edge out stalwart Liz Haupt (CGA) who posted a 34.71 in what can only be regarded as an excellent effort by the 30 year old.

At the other end of the scale the 13 year old Suzaan van Biljon (FS) should be happy with her effort of 34.88 in her first senior nationals and much can be expected of this young lady in the future.

Men's 50m Breaststroke
Pre race favourite Brett Peterson (KZN) lived up to expectations when he regained the title in fine fashion from Chris Stewart (CGA) in what was a pulsating final.

The two rivals broke the water together after a quick start and matched each other stroke for stroke going through 35m. Stewart seemed to falter or did Peterson extend his stroke? With ten meters to go Peterson held a slight advantage, while Stewart never missed a beat. Both swimmers surged into the wall for copybook finish, but it was Peterson who was victorious in a time of 28.78 while the game Stewart had to settle for the silver in 29.52.

Else ware in the pool other battles were being fought. Kurt Muller (FS) after holding the advantage over his rivals failed to capitalise and had to settle for fourth place in a time of 29.61 after a determined Ian Clutten (WP) drove into the wall to snatch the bronze in 29.52.

Despite a fast finish Brad Toerien (KZN) clocked a 29.62 and had to settle for fifth place ahead of Grant Gallant (WP) whose 29.64 was enough to hold out last year's titleholder, Louis Lotter (NTS) who posted a 29.69

Women's 50m Butterfly
Renate du Plessis was out of the blocks in a flash and utilised her underwater allowance to the maximum. For the rest of the pack it was a question of catch-up from that point onwards.

Mandy Loots hunted her down but ran out of water as du Plessis claimed her second title of the championships in 27.84 while the diminutive Gauteng flyer had to settle for silver in a time of 28.08.

Third place and the bronze medal went to Lauren Sparg (KZN) who shaved ,01 off her national age group record established in the semis when she recorded a 28.53, a tad ahead of her club mate and training partner Candice Crafford who posted a 28.58.

The "lady gator" was ecstatic with her victory, which should assure her a place in the upcoming Commonwealth Games team.

Men's 50m Butterfly
This event was a crackerjack affair. So evenly matched from the gun, the pack moved across the pool in unison.

With 15m to go Hendrick Odendaal (WP) surged and held a slight advantage going into the wall to claim his first national title and a unique double for both his province and his university. Odendaal is a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville and a NCAA division 1 finalist in both the freestyle and butterfly sprint events.

His winning time of 25.31 was the only clear result in this race. Thank goodness for electronic timing. Lyndon Ferns (NP) and Stephan Ackermann (KZN) were alongside Odendaal and all eyes had been focused on them as the pack stormed into the finish. However Chris Sparks (KZN) in lane 1 and the 16-year-old Corney Swanepool in lane 7 had other ideas.

Swanepool snatched his first senior nationals medal when he claimed the silver in a time of 25.61 a tad ahead of Sparks who was delighted with his bronze in 25.62. Ferns had to settle for fourth place in a time of 25.65, enough to hold out the powerful Ackermann who went a 25.68.

Mathew Palmer (Bor) had stuck gamefully to Ferns was next in a 25.77 while Kurt Muller (FS) (26.00) and Fouche Venter (Bor ) (26.09) brought up the rear.

Excitement deluxe and with all the swimmers bar Odendaal and Palmer under the age of 20 years old this certainly augers well for the future of butterfly sprinting in South Africa.

Women's 100m Freestyle
Continental and national record holder Helene Muller is in a class of her own. Never challenged the Central Gauteng powerhouse had the race by the scruff of the neck going into the turn and was never challenged.

Her winning time of 56.27 was commendable when one considers that she was never under pressure and was racing the clock with a passion.

Young guns, Lauren Roets (NTS) and Nicola Stanley (KZN) who lined up either side of Muller chased in vain with Roets having to settle for the bronze, her first senior national medal, in 58.64 as stalwart Candice Crafford (KZN) raced down lane one to snatch the silver in 58.34.

Stanley had to settle for fourth place on the day while Melanie Greyling (KZN) finished in fifth place in a time of 59.12.

Men's 100m Backstroke
If a race never lived up to expectations, this was it. Gerhard Zandberg (NTS) the lanky 18 year-old from Pretoria was a man on a mission. Off the wall in a flash he seized the early intuitive and never looked back.

Coming into the turn it was always going to be a battle for the minor placing as Zandburg stroked his way fluidly to claim yet another title at these championships. His winning time of 57.23 was well ahead of Ryan Heydenrych (WP) who despite all his good intentions was just not up to Zandberg on the day. The Western Province swimmer posted a 58.61.

Carl Marais (NTS) upset the formbook with a fast finish when he claimed the bronze medal in a time of 58.75 well ahead of Swiss national Alain Tardin, the pre race favourite who was disappointing in his 58.75 and had to settle for fourth place.

Jeff Norton (KZN) failed to capitalise on his great start and finished a distant sixth in a time of 59.37 while the promising Gareth McGee (KZN) will be happy to put these championships behind him. His time of 59.80 gained him a disappointing sixth place and by rights he should have been a medal contender.

This youngster who is still just 18 years old has great temperament and the ability to challenge Zandberg for the title of South Africa's premier backstroke specialist in the years to come, having been the top junior over the past five years.

Women's 100m Backstroke
Renate du Plessis snatched a dramatic victory in the death from Charlene Wittstock in yet another encounter that had the crowd in raptures.

Once again du Plessis had a great start and after 30m held a slight advantage over he rival. But Wittstock is a determined lady and she fought back gamely to go into the turn with du Plessis.

Again du Plessis powered her way off the turn, only for Wittstock to come back with a vengeance and with 15m to go she drew level. Going into the wall it was any ones race. The Western province swimmer outstretching he rival to claim her third title of the championships in a time of 1:03.35 with Wittstock having to settle for the unaccustomed silver in 1:03.44.

One however should spare a thought for Wittstock who has endured a tough last nine months with extensive competition on the international circuit as well as going down with food poisoning in Moscow last week at the World Short Course Championships. The lady was not at her best during these championships.

This however should not detract from du Plessis performances. The powerful Western province swimmer has shown a marked improvement in her performances since moving from the University of Hawaii to the University of Florida in Gainesville and was rewarded with the "Best Female Performer" of the championships on its conclusion.

Romy Altman (WP) won the bronze in comfortable fashion when she posted a 1:05.06 ahead of Melissa Corfe (KZN) who went a 1:05.89.

Women's 400m Individual Medley
Mandy Loots, the diminutive Gauteng flyer turned in a gutsy performance in this race to claim the title in convincing fashion.

Utilising her prowess in the butterfly Loots established a commanding lead going into the backstroke and built on this during this leg. Unfazed she posted the second fastest time of the breaststroke leg and going into the freestyle the writing was on the wall. Her time of 4:56.16 was well off her continental and national mark of 4:48.97 established at the British Nationals in 1999.

Candice Little (CGA), the winner of the 200 IM earlier in these championships won the silver in 4:59.33 while Marizanne Grundlingh (WP), despite a late charge had to settle for the bronze in 5:02.72.

Men's 400m Individual Medley
One of the best swims of the championships was saved for the end. In what must be one of the all time "great" solo swims of the local scene it was Terence Parkin who chased the elusive Commonwealth Games QT that had eluded all but Sarah Poewe.

This was his last chance and Parkin was not about to let it go.

Totally focused he began his solo effort with a gusto. His splits tell a story. 59.03/1:07.68/1:11.62/1:02.60 to give him a time of 4:20.93 a tad off the QT of 4:19.04, but alone. That's the mitigating factor. This man did it all by himself, racing the clock, with no one to push him, just him and the clock. It was truly an astonishing swim.

For this effort he was rewarded with the "Best Male Performance" of the championships.

For the record the minor placing were filled by two promising youngsters, the 16 year old Dustin Dale (CGA) secured the silver after an awesome final 100m in a time of 4:38.85 while the 15 year old Sean Fisher (FS) helped himself to the bronze in a time of 4:38.98.