Silver and an African Record for the South African swimming team on the fifth day of the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

In the 50m butterfly, Le Clos has to settle for the silver, touching the wall in 21.97, just 0.16secs behind Brazil’s Nicholas Santos, who won the race with a new Championship record time of 21.81. The bronze went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter in 22.38, while SA’s Ryan Coetzee came 8^th in 22.88.

Le CLos also participated in the 100m freestyle semi-finals, where he qualified in pole position, clocking 45.89 ahead of Russia’s Vladimir Morozov in 45.93 and the USA’s Caeleb Dressel in 46.06.

Gallagher did not manage to qualify for the 50m freestyle final but was more than happy with her new African Record of 24.38, breaking Lize Marie Retief’s 2007 mark of 24.72, and finishing 14^th in the process.

Cameron van der Burgh successfully qualified for tomorrow’s 50m breaststroke final with a quick time of 25.76 and was followed by Germany’s Fabian Schwingenschlogl in 25.87 and Brazil’s Joao Gomes Junior in 25.94.

Rebecca Meder finished the 200m individual medley heats in 22^nd place, clocking 2:14.68, while Ayrton Sweeney came in 22^nd in the 400m individual medley in 4:13.21 and Brad Tandy was 30^th in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 27.10.

The 14^th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) conclude tomorrow with Emily Visagie taking to the water in the 200m breaststroke.

ENDS

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Swimming South Africa

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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.