Gallagher Takes Double Gold On KZNA Premier Provincials Night 3

2019 KZNA PREMIER CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 16th – Sunday, December 22nd
• Kings Park Swimming Pool, Durban, KZ
• LCM
• SwimSwam Preview
• Recap #1
• Results

Despite having been entered in this week’s KZNA Premier Championships, 24-year-old Calvyn Justus was a no-show for the men’s 50m free heats this morning in Durban. The Dave Salo-trained Olympian is not listed for any other event according to entries and we’ve reached out for comment.

Those that did proceed with racing tonight at the meet did so in style, with 20-year-old Erin Gallagher producing a winning time of 25.59 to take the women’s 50m free event. After taking the 2nd seed in a time of 25.98, Gallagher touched in 25.59, well-off her national record of 24.95, but enough to hold off a charging Seagulls teammate in Emma Chelius.

Chelius led the heats in a 25.72 AM swim before dropping it down to 25.63, finishing as runner-up behind Gallagher. Gallgher would go on to also top the women’s 50m back podium in a time of 29.71.

The men’s 50m free saw veteran Doug Erasmus get his hand on the wall first, registering the only sub-23 second outing in 22.69.

Martin Binedell got it done for gold in the men’s 50m back in 26.62, while Ayrton Sweeney logged a winning effort of 4:19.74 to take teh gold medal in the 400m IM. 16-year-old Matthew Sates followed up his impressive 200m IM outing from night 1 with a silver in this longer event, clocking 4:25.43.

Finally, Rebecca Meder, just 17, raced her way to gold in the 400m IM for women in 4:46.53.