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SA continue quest to qualify for Olympics

Durban - South Africa's swimmers were once again unstoppable as they continued on their quest for Olympic and Paralympic qualifying times on the fourth day of the SA National Aquatic Championships at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre in Durban.

According to the SuperSport website, Olympian Chad le Clos took the honours in the final of the 200m butterfly, while confirming his Olympic qualification time with a quick 1:55.04, followed by Sebastien Rousseau in 1:57.38 and Dylan Bosch in 1:58.18.

There was plenty of action in the 200m breaststroke as Cameron van der Burgh clocked yet another Olympic qualification time when he swam a time of 2:11.10, while Jarred Crous and Ayrton Sweeney ended second and third in 2:12.47 and 2:13.38 respectively. The final of the race will take place on Thursday.

The semi-finals of the 100m freestyle saw Douglas Erasmus top the group in 49.85, followed by Caydon Muller in 49.90. Erasmus and Muller will be striving for a faster time in Thursday’s final to clock the 48.99 requirement for the Rio Olympic Games.

In the 200m butterfly semi-finals, it was Rene Warnes who touched the wall first in 2:13.85, while Marlie Jacob and Taryn Els finished a close second and third in 2:22.13 and 2:23.18, respectively. The final of the event will be held on Thursday.

Karin Prinsloo won the 200m freestyle final in 1:59.86, over four seconds ahead of Kristin Bellingan in 2:04.13 and Caitlin Kat in 2:04.40, while the 200m individual medley gold went to Marlies Ross in 2:17.47 ahead of Gabi Grobler in 2:19.05 and Kirsty McLauchlan in 2:20.38.

In the multi-disability section, Alani Ferreira (S13) walked away with her fourth Paralympic qualification time and third African record, this time in the 100m butterfly, clocking 1:23.37. Ferreira once again broke Marike Naude’s 2011 time of 1:25.91.

Achmat Hassiem (S10) swam a Paralympic qualification time of 1:00.44 in the 100m butterfly heats session but just missed out on confirming that time when he finished the finals of the event with a golden 1:00.59 to the set 1:00.47. The silver medal went to Jared Burger in 1:09.20 and the bronze to Jean Pretorius in 1:12.80.

Aaron Putz claimed the gold in the S14 and S15 100m butterfly in 1:11.38 ahead of Sean O’Neil in 1:41.01, while on the ladies side, Cornell Loubser (S15) won her respective race in 1:07.40 with Christelle Kriel coming in second in 1:17.16.

The day 5 heats will start at 10:00 while the finals will begin at 18:30.

OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TIMES FOLLOWING DAY 4:

• Sebastien Rousseau – 400m individual medley – 4:14.75
• Michael Meyer – 400m individual medley – 4:15.71
• Myles Brown – 400m freestyle – 3:48.86
• Cameron van der Burgh – 100m breaststroke – 59.66
• Cameron van der Burgh – 200m breaststroke (SF) – 2:11.10
• Christopher Reid – 100m backstroke – 54.02
• Chad le Clos – 200m freestyle – 1:47.75
• Chad le Clos – 200m butterfly – 1:55.04

PARALYMPIC QUALIFYING TIMES FOLLOWING DAY 4:

• Kevin Paul (SM10) – 200m individual medley – 2:15.78
• Kevin Paul (SB9) – 100m breaststroke – 1:05.10
• Johann van Heerden (SB9) – 100m breaststroke – 1:12.64
• Alani Ferreira (SM13) – 200m individual medley – 2:50.43
• Alani Ferreira (S13) – 400m freestyle – 5:21.00 (heats)
• Alani Ferreira (SB13) – 100m breaststroke – 1:26.90
• Alani Ferreira (S13) – 100m butterfly – 1:23.37
• Emily Gray (S9) – 400m freestyle – 5:05.36 (heats)
• Emily Gray (S10) – 100m backstroke – 1:17.17
• Craig Groenewald (SB14) – 100m breaststroke – 1:12.33
• Hendri Herbst (S11) – 100m backstroke – 1:16.84
• Shireen Sapiro (S10) – 100m backstroke – 1:11.87
• Achmat Hassiem (S10) – 100m butterfly – 1:00.44 (heats)

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