The final day of the IPC Swimming World Championships
Kevin Paul won SA’s only gold medal in the SB9 100m breaststroke while posting a new Championship Record time of 1:04.50.
Earlier on in the competition, Paul also broke the African Record in the S10 50m freestyle in 25.40 and has Paralympic Qualification times in the SB9 100m breaststroke; alongside Johann van Heerden, as well as the SM10 200m individual medley.
Hendri Herbst was a happy man with his two bronze medals in the S11 50 and 100m freestyle events, while his African Record came in the S11 100m backstroke with a new time of 1:14.81. Herbst finished each of those events in Paralympic Qualification times.
Paul, Achmat Hassiem, Hendrik van der Merwe and James Bezuidenhout added the 4 x 100m medley relay African Record to the team’s tally in 4:52.15, while Hassiem posted a Paralympic Qualification time in his S10 100m butterfly race.
On the ladies side, Adri Visser was over the moon with her African Record and Paralympic Qualification time in the S5 50m butterfly, before acquiring the 200m individual medley African Record last night.
Emily Gray will be bringing home two Paralympic Qualification times in the S9 100m backstroke and the 400m freestyle, with Beth Nothling rounding off tally with a Paralympic Qualification time in the S5 50m backstroke.
In the final day of the Championships tonight, Visser finished 13th in the S5 100m freestyle with a time of 1:50.26, while in the SM9 200m individual medley Gray ended 18th in 3:02.96 and Challis Wright came 21st in the S14 100m backstroke, clocking 1:12.03.
Swimming South Africa’s CEO, Shaun Adriaanse, commended the team for achieving their Championship objective of posting Paralympic Qualification times.
“With eleven qualification times, they have accomplished that task. In the process they also garnered a gold and two bronze medals and are well on their way to Rio, spearheaded by Kevin Paul and Hendri Herbst.” concluded Adriaanse.
The South African Swimming Team in Glasgow is proudly sponsored by Sport and Recreation South Africa, National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, Nedbank, SASOL and 361.
Final Paralympic Qualifying Times:
• Hendri Herbst (S11) – 50 and 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke (Heats)
• Beth Nothling (S5) – 50m backstroke
• Emily Gray (S9) – 100m backstroke and 400m freestyle
• Kevin Paul – 200m individual medley (SM10) and 100m breaststroke (SB9)
• Johann van Heerden (SB9) – 100m breaststroke
• Achmat Hassiem (S10) – 100m butterfly
• Adri Visser (S5) – 50m butterfly
For further information please contact:
Swimming South Africa Marketing Coordinator
Thathani Gaba
082 304 1817
Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.
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Please visit www.swimsa.org for further information and news regarding Swimming South Africa.