Matt Sates Clocks 1:46.15 Monster 200 Free Personal Best

2022 SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (RSA)

  • Wednesday, April 6th – Monday, April 11th
  • Newton Park Swimming Pool, Gqeberha, South Africa
  • LCM (50m)
  • World Championships/Commonwealth Games Qualifier
  • Psychs
  • Live results on Meet Mobile: “SA National Aquatic SNR-JNR Champ 2022-PE”
  • Livestream

Day 2 of the 2022 South African Championships brought about a historic performance in the men’s 200m freestyle, courtesy of 18-year-old Matt Sates.

Following up on his 4o0m free victory from night 1, 18-year-old Sates produced a huge lifetime best in the 200m free, stopping the clock in a mighty 1:46.15.

Opening in 51.82 and closing in 54.33, Georgia Bulldog Sates pulled down a huge career-quickest, beating the 1:47.09 he established for the top seed this morning. Entering these championships, Sates had only been as fast as 1:48.08 from April of 2020.

As such, in the span of a year, Sates jas dropped nearly 2 seconds from his LCM 200 free to now check-in as the #3 performer ever from South Africa.

Visiting British swimmer Max Litchfield also got on the board with a silver in the men’s 200m free in 1:49.49 after having notched a 400m IM victory in 4:21.76. Litchfield is already pre-qualified for the 2022 FINA World Aquatic Championships via his Olympic final appearance.

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John26
2 years ago

“Monster” used a bit loosely for my liking

oxyswim
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

I agree, 1:46 for what he’s done in SCM and yards, is a good swim and really nice drop. If he’s 1:44 at worlds we can throw Monster Swim out there.

Last edited 2 years ago by oxyswim
Retta
Reply to  oxyswim
2 years ago

Monster PB is the context.

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

Yea, not sure what is “historic” about a 1:46 lol

Tik Tok
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

Totally agreed!

What’s monster about 1:46 in the year of 2022.

Former Big10
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

They’d reached the daily quota for “threw down”

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

I like Retta’s enthusiasm and her colorful adjectives. You know you’re reading a Retta article. The Stephen A. Smith of SwimSwam. What did you want, “pedestrian”? One of GMM’s terrible predictions?

Retta
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

Cracking nearly one second from your morning swim which in itself knocked a second off of your pre-meet PB isn’t good enough?

PVK
Reply to  John26
2 years ago

1:43 is monster

John
2 years ago

Monster swim, WC should be fast!

Who are the other SA swimmers on the all-time list? I imagine Le Clos and Nythling maybe?

Razzle
Reply to  John
2 years ago

The legend, Jean Basson.

Barry
Reply to  John
2 years ago

le Clos (1:45.20) and Jean Basson (1:45.67). Then Myles Brown (1:46.47) and Ryk Neethling (1:46.63).

John
Reply to  Barry
2 years ago

Thanks for that!

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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