After announcing his return to competitive swimming last month, South African Olympic champion Cameron van der Burgh has returned to competition.
van der Burgh originally stated he would first race at a Masters meet in February, but plans seemingly changed, and he took to the pool this past Sunday at the 28th Speedo Invitational Short Course Meet in Dubai.
The now 37-year-old only contested the 50 SCM breaststroke, touching second overall with a time of 27.22. He notably did not enter the 100, having said last month that he’s focusing his training more on speed this part of his career due to the inclusion of the 50m stroke events at the LA 2028 Olympics.
Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich, the co-second fastest man of all time in the event alongside van der Burgh, won the event in 25.65.
Full Results:
- Ilya Shymanovich – 25.65
- Cameron Van Der Burgh – 27.22
- Brendan Fitzpatrick – 27.36
- Hamza Elmarakby – 28.34
- Omar Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed Alhammadi – 29.52
- Charlie Cherrier – 29.97
van der Burgh did not swim the 100 breast, and said last month that he’s focusing his training more on speed this part of his career due to the inclusion of the 50m stroke events at the LA 2028 Olympics.
He originally announced his retirement in December 2018. He had said previously that he would retire after the 2020 Olympic Games, but after getting married in July 2017 and accepting a new job at Andurand Capital Management, a large oil-focused hedge fund based in London, he decided it was time.
His comeback will be met by the deepest South African field in the breaststroke events we’ve ever seen. In long course, both Michael Houlie (26.72) and Chris Smith (26.75) have posted personal bests in the past six months, times that rank them in the top-25 performers all time.
In short course, it’s more of the same story as Smith (25.66), the world junior record holder, and Houlie (25.69) have set times that rank 15th and 16th all-time in the past year.
With only two per nation allowed to qualify for major international competition, van der Burgh will need to be back to his top form to contend for qualification.
His personal best of 58.46 in the long course 100 breast ranks eighth all-time, while his 26.54 in the 50 ranks 13th all-time In short course, his times of 25.25 and 55.61 sit second and seventh all-time.
van der Burgh has posted about being tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Instagram within the past month, making it very unlikely he’s joining the Enhanced Games.
He has a pair of Olympic medals to his name in the 100 breast: a gold in 2012 and a silver in 2016.
In total, van der Burgh owns 18 World Championship medals: 10 in long course and 8 in short course.
Across long course, he medaled in the 50 breast at every meet he attended, capturing gold in 2009 and 2013, silver in 2015, and bronze in 2007, 2011, and 2017. He also earned three medals in the 100 breast with silver in 2013 and 2015, plus bronze in 2011.
At Short Course Worlds, he won the 50 breast in 2016 and 2018, and the 100 breast in 2010 and 2018. He also collected three silver medals in the 50 breast in 2010 and 2014, and the 100 breast in 2008, along with bronze in the 50 breast in 2008.
Legend!
That’s a decent time all things considered