South African Swimming Grand Prix Preview

2016 South African Swimming Grand Prix

• Dates: Friday, February 5th-Sunday, February 7th, 2016
• Friday: Prelims – 7:00 pm local (12:00 pm EST/9:00 am PST)
• Saturday – Finals – 12:00 pm local (5:00 am EST/2:00 am PST)
• Saturday: Prelims – 7:00 pm local (12:00 pm EST/9:00 am PST)
• Sunday: Finals for Saturday’s prelim events – 12:00 pm local (5:00 am EST’/2:00 am PST)
• Live results

The second leg of the South African Grand Prix will run from Friday, February 5th to Sunday, February 7th. The country’s two top swimmers, Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos, will headline the competition in Durban.

van der Burgh will be swimming the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke. The 100 breaststroke Olympic champion currently ranks first in the world in the 50 and 100 breaststroke in times that he posted at the World Cup stop in Paris-Chartres in August.

van der Burgh will be challenged by Ayrton Sweeney and Jarred Crous in all three events.

le Clos will look to collect victories in the 50 and 200 freestyle as well as the 50 and 200 butterfly. He currently ranks third in the world in the 50 butterfly and fourth in the world in the 200 butterfly.

The women’s side will see 2012 Olympian Karin Prinsloo competing in the backstroke events. Other women in the meet to watch include Vanessa Mohr, Erin Gallagher, Rene Warnes, Jessica Ashley-Cooper and Nathania van Niekerk.

“The long term objective for the introduction of the South African Swimming Grand Prix is to provide increased high level local competition for our Senior, Youth and Junior athletes as part of our performance pathway, while in the short term, the events are a part of our preparation programme for the 2016 Olympic Games,” Swimming South Africa’s President Shaun Adriaanse told SuperSport.