Other Sport
Cameron 'delighted' with medal
2009-07-27 22:07
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Rome - Cameron van der Burgh was the hero of the South African team when he won a second medal at the 13th FINA World Championships on Monday.
The swimmer from Pretoria had the fastest start to the 100 metres breaststroke and his reaction time was only 0,62 seconds. He was also the fastest swimmer over the first 50 metres turning on 27,54 seconds.
The fight for medals was tight over the last 50 metres with Brenton Rickard of Australia touching first in a new world record time of 58,58. Hugues Duboscq of France was second in 58,64 followed by Van der Burgh in 58,95 seconds, coming close to the previous world record of 58,91.
It was a brilliant performance who bettered his South African and African records for the third time in two days. It is also the first time that he has swum under the 59 seconds in the event.
Van der Burgh is now being coached by Norimasa Hirai, the coach of the double breaststroke Olympic champion, Kosuke Kitaijima, and he changed Van der Burgh's program.
"I think it was a good race. I am delighted with the medal. It was an incredible sprint in the beginning and that is what we worked over the last period.
"I have also done more endurance work and that is why I think I have improved so much in the 100 metres breaststroke."
South Africa will have another two swimmers in the finals on Tuesday after Jean Basson made it into the final of the 200 freestyle with a new South African record of 1:45,82.
Wendy Trott qualified for the 1500 freestyle improving her South African and African record by two seconds to 16:08,96.
The 18-year-old Charl van Zyl, became the fastest swimmer in the world in his age group, swimming a personal best of 54,67 in the 100 backstroke.
The time only placed him 27th in the heats, with George du Rand finishing 20th in 54,29.