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Port Elizabeth - Neil Versfeld put earlier disappointment behind him to qualify for the World Championships in the 200m breaststroke at the South African Swimming Championships in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Versfeld was disqualified earlier in the week for a double dolphin kick after the turn in the 100m breaststroke.
He made up for it on the final day of the championships, however, by winning gold in the 200m breaststroke in a time of 2:11.38.
"I am happy I qualified in the 200m tonight after the disappointment of earlier in the week," Versfeld said.
"Hopefully I will be able to swim the 100m breaststroke at the World Championships as well."
Gideon Louw had the last say on the sprinting front when he won the 50m freestyle final.
Louw fought hard against Roland Schoeman, Greame Moore and Brad Tandy to touch first in 22.55, just six hundredths of a second ahead of Schoeman. Moore placed third in 23.00.
"I am happy that I won the title, but I am not too happy with my time," Louw said.
"I swam a faster time of 22.27 in the 4x50m freestyle relay, which was a qualifying time [for the global championships], so I hope I will be able to swim in the event at the world championships."
Heerden Herman qualified for the global showpiece in the 1 500m freestyle in a time of 15:14.24.
It was the long distance swimmer's second qualifying time after he reached the standard in the 800m freestyle as well.
Kathryn Meaklim also reached the qualifying time in the 400m individual medley, winning the national title in 4:42.13.
Meaklim qualified earlier in the week in the 200m and 400m medley events.
"I went hard in the morning just to see if I could do it, and did a little better tonight," Meaklim said.
Bianca Meyer won gold in the 200m butterfly in 2:13.82, with veteran swimmer Mandy Loots second in 2:14.39.
Ten men and four women qualified for the World Championships which will be held in Shanghai, China. in July.
RESULTS
Men:
50m freetsyle:
1 Gideon Louw (NTS) 22.55
2 Roland Schoeman (NTS) 22.61
3 Greame Moore 23.00
1 500m freestyle
1 Heerden Herman (WP) 15:14.24
2 Myles Brown (KZN) 15:23.76
3 Mark Randall (BOR) 15:25.00
200m breaststroke
1 Neil Versfeld (KZN) 2:11.38
2 Rory Buck (KZN) 2:15.88
3 Christopher Cowley (NTS) 2:19.27.
Women:
200m butterfly:
1 Bianca Meyer (KZN) 2:13.82
2 Mandy Loots (CGA) 2:14.39
3 Vanessa Mohr (NTS) 2:14.70.
400m individual medley:
1 Kathryn Meaklim (KZN) 4:42.13
2 Wendy Trott (WP) 4:46.39
3 Jessica Pengelly (NTS) 4:49.71
Versfeld was disqualified earlier in the week for a double dolphin kick after the turn in the 100m breaststroke.
He made up for it on the final day of the championships, however, by winning gold in the 200m breaststroke in a time of 2:11.38.
"I am happy I qualified in the 200m tonight after the disappointment of earlier in the week," Versfeld said.
"Hopefully I will be able to swim the 100m breaststroke at the World Championships as well."
Gideon Louw had the last say on the sprinting front when he won the 50m freestyle final.
Louw fought hard against Roland Schoeman, Greame Moore and Brad Tandy to touch first in 22.55, just six hundredths of a second ahead of Schoeman. Moore placed third in 23.00.
"I am happy that I won the title, but I am not too happy with my time," Louw said.
"I swam a faster time of 22.27 in the 4x50m freestyle relay, which was a qualifying time [for the global championships], so I hope I will be able to swim in the event at the world championships."
Heerden Herman qualified for the global showpiece in the 1 500m freestyle in a time of 15:14.24.
It was the long distance swimmer's second qualifying time after he reached the standard in the 800m freestyle as well.
Kathryn Meaklim also reached the qualifying time in the 400m individual medley, winning the national title in 4:42.13.
Meaklim qualified earlier in the week in the 200m and 400m medley events.
"I went hard in the morning just to see if I could do it, and did a little better tonight," Meaklim said.
Bianca Meyer won gold in the 200m butterfly in 2:13.82, with veteran swimmer Mandy Loots second in 2:14.39.
Ten men and four women qualified for the World Championships which will be held in Shanghai, China. in July.
RESULTS
Men:
50m freetsyle:
1 Gideon Louw (NTS) 22.55
2 Roland Schoeman (NTS) 22.61
3 Greame Moore 23.00
1 500m freestyle
1 Heerden Herman (WP) 15:14.24
2 Myles Brown (KZN) 15:23.76
3 Mark Randall (BOR) 15:25.00
200m breaststroke
1 Neil Versfeld (KZN) 2:11.38
2 Rory Buck (KZN) 2:15.88
3 Christopher Cowley (NTS) 2:19.27.
Women:
200m butterfly:
1 Bianca Meyer (KZN) 2:13.82
2 Mandy Loots (CGA) 2:14.39
3 Vanessa Mohr (NTS) 2:14.70.
400m individual medley:
1 Kathryn Meaklim (KZN) 4:42.13
2 Wendy Trott (WP) 4:46.39
3 Jessica Pengelly (NTS) 4:49.71
