Le Clos’s quest for fifth straight gold continues with semi-final victory
The former Olympic champion got his quest for a fifth straight gold in the 100m butterfly off to a positive start by qualifying for the final. He was somewhat off his best in the heats, finishing fourth in 50.47 to progress to the semi-final 11th fastest overall.
But the former world record-holder in the event stepped it up in the evening’s semi-final, winning the race in a much speedier 49.56, just four hundredths of a second ahead of 19-year-old Egyptian Youssef Ramadan.
That saw him qualifying second fastest for Saturday night’s final behind Italy’s Matteo Rivolta who won the other semi-final in 49.07.
Meanwhile, the evening’s finals were highlighted by another world record, this time in the women’s 4x50m medley relay. The Swedish team of sisters Louise and Sophie Hansson, Sarah Sjostrom and Michelle Coleman powered to victory in 1:42.38 to equal the previous mark set by the USA at the 2018 Championships in China.
Earlier in the day, South African Michaela Pulford finished sixth in her 800m freestyle heat, but her time of 8:41.94 was not enough to see her through to Saturday’s final.
Another of South Africa’s swimmers in Abu Dhabi, Tayla Lovemore, will get her Short Course World Championships campaign under way on Saturday morning in the heats of the 50m butterfly. 2018 bronze medallist Brad Tandy will also be in action in the 50m freestyle heats.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Swimming South Africa’s Marketing Coordinator
Mmathapelo Phale
011 404 2480 / 074 363 0001
Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.
Its objective is to encourage the practice of aquatic disciplines for all in South Africa with the purpose of promoting swimming as a life skill through Learn to Swim programmes; providing healthy exercise to South Africans of all ages and races; recruiting recreational swimmers to compete in the various competitions; and promoting competition and athlete development to the highest level. Swimming South Africa is kindly supported by SASCOC, National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, Arena, Sport & Recreation SA and Rand Water.