The final day of the 2019 SA National Aquatic Championships in Durban

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Durban, Friday, 12th April 2019 - The SA National Aquatic Championships successfully concluded tonight with nine athletes clocking 12 FINA Qualification times and seven Para-swimmers posting 14 IPC Qualifying times during the five day competition, which took place at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre in Durban.

In the 50m freestyle, Brad Tandy raced to a FINA Qualification time of 21.92 in the morning heats session but was not able to better that time in the finals, touching the wall with a golden 22.25 ahead of Douglas Erasmus in 22.55 and Ryan Coetzee in 22.60.

Erin Gallagher celebrated her win in the ladies’ 50m freestyle when she clocked 25.14; just 0.10secs over the FINA required 25.04, with Emma Chelius a close second in 25.38, while Olivia Nel and Tayla Lovemore shared the bronze medal when they both finished in 26.01.

Rebecca Meder added yet another gold medal to her tally, this time in the 200m individual medley in 2:14.44, ahead of Marlies Ross in 2:18.44 and Christin Mundell in 2:21.01, while the men’s top spot was claimed by Eben Vorster in 2:02.71, followed by Neil Fair in 2:04.23 and Louw Oberholzer in 2:04.82.

In the long-distance 1500m freestyle, Abi Meder, Hannah Robertson and Kate Beavon made up the medal podium in 17:15.59, 17:19.21 and 17:23.08, while in the men’s 800m freestyle, the gold, silver and bronze medals went to Josh Dannhauser, Brent Szurdoki and Botswana’s James Freeman in 8:03.06, 8:04.94 and 8:07.67, respectively.

Rebecca Meder, Gallagher, Erasmus and Matthew Bosch were also a part of KZN’s mixed 4x100m freestyle relay gold winning team in 3:36.38, while Bosch, alongside Ryan Coetzee, Martin Binedell and Bailey Musgrave also won the 4x100m medley relay in 3:43.54 and Tshwane’s Nathania van Niekerk, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Samantha Labuschagne and Dune Coetzee scooped the ladies’ relay gold in 4:09.77.

Franco Smit (S12) clocked his third IPC Qualification time in the 100m freestyle with a time of 56.39, to the required 59.87 and also went on to win the 50m backstroke in 29.83, while Paralympian Alani Ferreira (S13) won her respective 100m freestyle in 1:08.46.

Michaela Kretzen (S14) dominated the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle, winning both races in 39.20 and 1:12.32, respectively.

In the remaining 50m backstroke events, the gold medals were claimed by Mark Roach (S15) in 29.68 and Melisca Everson (S10) in 49.80, while in the 100m freestyle Roach had to settle for a silver medal in 56.20 behind Pierre Dellieu (S15) in 55.81.

The final team for the FINA World Championships will be selected by Swimming SA, while the IPC World Championships team selection will be done by SASCOC.

The staging of this event was made possible through the support provided by Swimming SA partners, Sport and Recreation South Africa, SASCOC, National Lotteries Commission, Arena and Rand Water.

Final Qualifying Times – FINA World Championships:

Chad le Clos – 200m butterfly – 1:56.21
Chad le Clos – 100m butterfly – 51.39
Erin Gallagher – 100m freestyle – 54.34
Erin Gallagher – 100m butterfly – 57.67
Tatjana Schoenmaker – 200m breaststroke – 2:24.44
Tatjana Schoenmaker – 100m breaststroke – 1:06.83
Kaylene Corbett – 200m breaststroke – 2:25.62
Nathania van Niekerk – 200m backstroke – 2:11.37
Christopher Reid – 200m backstroke – 1:57.11
Ayrton Sweeney – 400m individual medley – 4:17.67
Ryan Coetzee – 100m butterfly – 51.85 (heats)
Brad Tandy – 50m freestyle – 21.92 (heats)

Final Qualifying Times – IPC World Championships:

Franco Smit (S12) – 100m backstroke – 1:05.25
Franco Smit (S12) – 50m freestyle – 25.06
Franco Smit (S12) – 100m freestyle – 56.39
Alani Ferreira (S13) – 100m butterfly – 1:21.13
Alani Ferreira (SB13) – 100m breaststroke – 1:25.88
Alani Ferreira (S13) – 400m freestyle – 5:11.66 (heats)
Christian Sadie (S7) – 50m freestyle – 29.06
Christian Sadie (S7) – 50m butterfly – 30.37
Christian Sadie (SM7) – 200m individual medley – 2:38.09
Christian Sadie (SB7) – 100m breaststroke – 1:27.34 (heats)
Hendri Herbst (S11) – 50m freestyle – 28.87
Johann van Heerden (SB9) – 100m breaststroke – 1:12.30
Cornelle Leach (SB12) – 100m breaststroke – 1:34.22
Hendrik van der Merwe (SB5) – 100m breaststroke – 1:44.64

For photos from the SA National Aquatic Championships, please visit – https://debikyimages.photoshelter.com/gallery/Day-5-PM-Session/G00003X_U5PnFlqg/C0000RGpYTOgQ3io

For further information about the newly launched Aquatics Foundation, please visit – www.aquaticsfoundationsa.org

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Swimming South Africa

011 404 2480

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.