SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (SA OLYMPIC TRIALS)
- King Aquatic Park, Durban, South Africa
- Sunday, April 10th – Saturday, April 16th
- Prelims- 10:00 am local (4 am ET, 1 am PT), Finals- 6:30 pm local (12:30 pm ET, 9:30 am PT)
- Meet Announcement and Olympic Qualifying Times
- Live Results
Wayne Riddin contributed this report:
The fourth day of the South African Olympic Swimming Trials was very quiet, and finals will need a performance to give the Durban atmosphere another boost of energy.
Men’s 100m Freestyle
Only Douglas Erasmus managed to get under 50 seconds in the heats, clocking an impressive-looking 49,54sec ahead of USA-based swimmers Brad Tandy and Brett Walsh who ended on 50,86 and 50,87.
Ryan Coetzee had started the seeded heats off with a 50,62sec with Bradley Vincent (Mauritius) in 50,90sec while the last heat saw a charging Myles Brown edge a fraction ahead of Caydon Muller in 50,42sec and 50,43sec.
Besides chasing the Olympic individual standard of 48.99, the sprinters are also jockeying for position on a potential 400 free relay – though the team didn’t enter one at Worlds last year.
Legend Roland Schoeman, the only man still competing for South Africa from the historic gold-medal winning 400 free relay, scratched the prelims.
Women’s 200m Butterfly
No one got anywhere near the Olympic cut of 2:09,33 as Rene Warnes heads the group with a 2:15,97 followed by Marli Jacobs on 2:22,76 and Sule van der Merwe on 2:23,70. But the swimmers were able to go easier than expected so making the final will speed a few up.
Through 3 days of competition, no women have qualified for the 2016 Olympics for South Africa.
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
19-year old Jarred Crous heads the challenge in 2:15,06 but will need to pull off something special to challenge the 2:11,66 Olympic time in finals. Cameron van der Burgh remains the most likely swimmer to achieve that time even after a prelims 2:16,61, a coast-of-a-swim for the defending Olympic Champion in the 100 breaststroke.
Daniel Swanepoel on 2:17,23 and Ayrton Sweeney on 2:17,87 qualified 3rd and 4th, respectively.
surprised le clos didn’t swim the 100 free
true.. was surprised he went all the way through with the 2 free, wonder if he actually swims it in rio
When I thought the 4×100 free relay already passed?
Not sure how much he has left to give. Realistically I see a 49 low split and a 22 mid to low. But I would love to see him go out with another medal and some fast times.
Woops, used the wrong email address. Sorry swimswam, I know you don’t like that