Records continued to fall on the third day of the Telkom SA National Age Group Swimming Champs, currently being held in Bloemfontien, with two age group records and three meet records falling on Monday. Karen Prinsloo served notice that she will be a serious contender for senior honors in years to come.

Prinsloo (Tuks - NT)(33.84), who currently holds two women's' 50m backstroke age group records (10 & U and 11 years), bettered her own 11 year old age group record by, 5 seconds, when she touched well inside her existing mark.

She broke her second age group record of the evening in the women 11 years old 200m IM in a time of 2:36.90. Natalie du Toit (Vineyards - WP) held the previous record with a time of 2:38.93, set in 1996.

Prinsloo registered her sixth win for the tournament and her third age group record (50 Back, 100 Back, 200 IM). She also broke the meet record in the women's' 100 Freestyle event and came second in the 50m Freestyle and third in the 50m Breaststroke. She still has to compete in the 200m Breaststroke and 200m backstroke events and is hoping for gold in both.

Jenna Bekker (Tuks - NT) broke Karin Prinsloo's meet record of 31.51 in a time of 31.37 in the girls 10 & Under, 50 meters freestyle.

Natasha Joubert (Bloemfontien Otters - FS)(30.20) joined Jenna by setting a new meet record in the 11 years 50 meter freestyle. The third meet record in the girls 50 meter free style was set by Karen Lotter (Ridge Seals Aquatic - NT), in the girls 14 year old age group in a time of 27.24, .41 seconds faster than the previous record held by Melanie Greyling (Westville - KZN).

Pietersburg Aquatic Clubs Lyndon Ferns broke the men's 17 - 18 years 50 meter free style meet record, touching in a time of 24.34, .29 seconds faster than Adriaan Du Plessis's record set in March 2000.

Melissa Corfe was again in tune when she triumphed in the girls 15 year old 50m backstroke with an emphatic 31.60, while Monique Malan (Kings Park - KZN) was victorious in the 17-18 year old event when she swam a respectable 31.73 ahead of Candice Little (Mustangs - CGA)(32.41), Samantha Jones (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN )(32.55) and fourth placed Taryn Cockyne (RAU - CGA)(32.58) in what was an exciting race.

In the boys 17-18 50m backstroke it was Garreth McGee from Esselen Park in Gauteng who scored a convincing win when he went a 28.31 to edge out Kings parks Jeff Norton (28.48) and Mr. Price Seagull's Alain Tardien (28.55). With the next three finishers, Rudolf Wagenaar (Bloemfontien Seals - FS) (28.75), Wesley Williams (RAU - CGA)( 28.91 ) and Pieter Pelser (Bloemfontien Seals - FS)(28.97) only ,7sec separating the lot, thank goodness for electronic timing.

In the 200m Individual Medley it was Marizaane Grundlingh who was victorious. The blonde haired Vineyards swimmer was always in control and won comfortably in 2:25.72 ahead of Candice Little (Mustangs - CGA)( 2:27.88) and Janine Payne(Ellis Park - CGA)(2:29.60). In the boys event it was Kurt Muller (Bloemfontien Seals - FS) who came up trumps when he swam a 2:17.27 ahead of Alain Tardin (Mr. Price Seagulls - KZN)(2:18.41) and teammate Peter Pelser who went a 2:19.10.

Melissa Corfe (15) was again the " belle of the ball" when she posted the fastest time in the 50m freestyle. Her 27.98 was significantly faster than the winner of the 17-18 year-old's winner, Jadine Louw from Vineyards (28.14) who was followed home by Nicola Ogilvie (Pitermaritzburg Seals - KZN)(28.28) and the ever-improving Nicci Ives (28.37) from the Hans Merensky club in Palaborwa in the Northern Province.

Lynden Ferns was victorious in the boy's event posting a new meet record of 24.34 winning in convincing fashion from Nicholas Tozer of Mustangs (24.77) and Stephan Ackermann (Ridge Seals - NT)(24.94) who edged out Christopher Kucio from Wanderers (24.96).

Nicola Stanley(Westville - KZN)(9:21.83) posted the fastest time in the 800m freestyle when she established a new mark in the 12 - 14 year old event eclipsing almost four seconds off Melanie Grayling's millennium mark. Jadine Louw (9:23.38) took the honors in the 17 - 18 group with a tactical victory over Dianna Hegedes (9:24.20) and Kristi Kulhmay from Pietermaritzburg Seals who posted a 9:25.42.

The 1500m saw Dominik Meichtry(RAU - CGA) take the title in 16:58.84 well off the meet record established by Kenneth Smith last year of 16:46.29. Dustin Dale (Dolphins - CGA)(17:01.73) and Charlton Lawson (Westville - CGA) (17:12.05) filled the minor placing.

However when one considers that these three youngsters are only 16 years old, then the future bodes well for South African distance freestyle swimming and Smith's time sure to become a memory.