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Cameron hails 'perfect race'

London - Cameron van der Burgh was the king of the pool on Sunday night, bagging South Africa's first medal of the London Olympics when he won gold in the men's 100m breaststroke in a world record time of 58.46 seconds.

GALLERY: Van der Burgh takes gold

The South African led from start to finish as he annihilated the rest of the field.

He set a world record, becoming the country's first male swimmer to win a gold medal in an individual event at the Games.

"It's a feeling I can't describe right now, it has been a lot of work in the making. Everything has paid off tonight," he said.

"If there is such a thing as the perfect race, I think I swam it at the right time tonight."

He also became the first South African man to win Olympic gold in an individual swimming event.

Van der Burgh paid tribute to Norwegian world champion swimmer Alexander Dale Oen, who died of heart failure last April while at a training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona, ahead of the London Olympics.

"I just have to pay tribute to Alexander Oen tonight, I know he has been with me this year, I think he helped me finish the race in such a strong manner," Van der Burgh said.

"Alexander pushed me in training, it made me realise I had to go faster to win the gold medal, that is what we trained for and that is what we have achieved."

Van der Burgh was followed by Christian Sprenger of Australia in a time of 58.93 and American Brendan Hansen who was third in 59.49.

The night before, Van der Burgh had clocked a time of 58.83, improving his previous national and continental record of 58.95 which he set at the 2009 Fina World Championships in Rome.

Van der Burgh, however, said he cared more about the Olympic crown, a title he will carry with him for the rest of his life, than he did about the time.

“I don't really care about the world record. It really doesn't faze me,” he said.

“Once you become an Olympic champion, you join a club and they can never take it away from you."

He said if was difficult to stay focussed in the build-up to the race and had relied on friends and family to keep his mind off the matter.

Van der Burgh’s performance cast a massive shadow over any of the other South African performances of the night in the pool.

The SA men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team of Roland Schoeman, Darian Townsend, Gideon Louw and Graeme Moore struggled to mount a challenge in a world record race as they finished fifth in a time of 3:13.45.

The French team sprung the surprise of the evening, beating the United States in a world best time of 3:09.93.

Suzaan van Biljon failed to progress beyond the semi-finals of the women's 100m breaststroke, finishing seventh in one minute, 07.68 seconds (1:07.68).

Van Biljon, however, said she was satisfied with her performance as she once again came close to the personal best she set when she qualified 12th fastest in the morning heats.

Earlier in the pool, Charl Crous and Wendy Trott failed to progress beyond the heats in their respective events.

Crous clocked 55.37 seconds, finishing last in his 100m backstroke heat.

While his Olympic campaign as an individual came to an end, Crous still has an opportunity to compete as part of the men’s 4x100m medley relay team.

Trott's hopes in the 400m freestyle event were dashed when she touched last in 4:11.63.

She had said earlier, however, that she was treating the event as a warm-up for her specialist discipline, the 800m freestyle, on Thursday.

Olympics swimming results on Sunday:

Men

200m Freestyle

Heat 1

1. Nicholas Schwab Alfaro (DOM) 1:53.41
2. Gilles Marquet (MRI) 1:58.91
3. Anderson Chee Wei Lim (BRU) 2:02.26

Heat 2

1. Matias Koski (FIN) 1:49.84
2. Radovan Siljevski (SRB) 1:51.40
3. Mario Montoya (CRC) 1:51.66
4. Sebastian Jahnsen Madico (PER) 1:52.36
5. Jessie Lacuna (PHI) 1:52.91
6. Raul Martinez Colomer (PUR) 1:54.23

Heat 3

1. Blake Worsley (CAN) 1:48.14
2. Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or (ISR) 1:48.60
3. Cristian Quintero Valero (VEN) 1:48.71
4. Glenn N R Surgeloose (BEL) 1:48.77
5. David Brandl (AUT) 1:49.00
6. Ahmed Mathlouthi (TUN) 1:49.68
7. Tiago Venancio (POR) 1:52.36

Heat 4

1. Danila Izotov (RUS) 1:46.61 Q
2. Robbie Renwick (GBR) 1:46.86 Q
3. Paul Biedermann (GER) 1:47.27 Q
4. Gregory Mallet (FRA) 1:47.39 Q
5. Dominik Meichtry (SWI) 1:47.97 Q
6. Ieuan Lloyd (GBR) 1:48.52
7. Clemens Rapp (GER) 1:48.75
8. Marco Belotti (ITA) 1:49.14

Heat 5

1. Sun Yang (CHN) 1:46.24 Q
2. Ryan Lochte (USA) 1:46.45 Q
3. Ricky Berens (USA) 1:47.07 Q
4. Dominik Kozma (HUN) 1:47.18 Q
5. Brett Fraser (CAY) 1:47.74 Q
6. Li Yunqi (CHN) 1:48.72
7. Benjamin Hockin Brusquetti (PAR) 1:48.91
8. Dion Dreesens (NED) 1:49.00

Heat 6

1. Yannick Agnel (FRA) 1:46.60 Q
2. Park Tae-Hwan (KOR) 1:46.79 Q
3. Kenrick Monk (AUS) 1:46.94 Q
4. Sebastiaan Verschuren (NED) 1:47.31 Q
5. Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS) 1:47.50 Q
6. Artem Lobuzov (RUS) 1:47.91 Q
7. Matthew Stanley (NZL) 1:48.19
8. Shaune Fraser (CAY) 1:48.53

Semi-finals

1. Paul Biedermann (GER) 1:46.10 Q
2. Ryan Lochte (USA) 1:46.31 Q
3. Robbie Renwick (GBR) 1:46.65 Q
3. Danila Izotov (RUS) 1:46.65 Q
5. Ricky Berens (USA) 1:46.87
6. Brett Fraser (CAY) 1:47.01
7. Gregory Mallet (FRA) 1:47.56
8. Dominik Meichtry (SWI) 1:48.25

1. Sun Yang (CHN) 1:45.61 Q
2. Yannick Agnel (FRA) 1:45.84 Q
3. Park Tae-Hwan (KOR) 1:46.02 Q
4. Thomas Fraser-Holmes (AUS) 1:46.80 Q
5. Dominik Kozma (HUN) 1:46.93
6. Sebastiaan Verschuren (NED) 1:46.95
7. Kenrick Monk (AUS) 1:47.38
8. Artem Lobuzov (RUS) 1:48.26

100m Backstroke

Heat 1

1. Bradley Ally (BAR) 56.27
2. Heshan Unamboowe (SRI) 57.94
3. Zane Jordan (ZAM) 58.77

Heat 2

1. George Richard Bovell (TRI) 55.22
2. Omar Pinzon Garcia (COL) 55.37
3. Pedro Medel (CUB) 55.40
4. Oleksandr Isakov (UKR) 55.43
5. Seonkwan Park (KOR) 55.51
6. Alexandr Tarabrin (KAZ) 55.55
7. I Gede Sudartawa (INA) 55.99
8. Federico Grabich (ARG) 56.56

Heat 3

1. Pavel Sankovich (BLR) 54.53
2. Mirco Di Tora (ITA) 54.70
3. Chris Walker-Hebborn (GBR) 54.78
4. He Jianbin (CHN) 54.81
5. Richard Bohus (HUN) 54.84
6. Lavrans Solli (NOR) 55.00
7. Mathias Gydesen (DEN) 55.31
8. Daniel Bell (NZL) 55.53

Heat 4

1. Nick Thoman (USA) 53.48 Q
2. Helge Meeuw (GER) 53.83 Q
3. Vladimir Morozov (RUS) 54.01 Q
4. Aschwin Wildeboer Faber (ESP) 54.36 Q
5. Bastiaan Lijesen (NED) 54.88
6. Yakov Toumarkin (ISR) 54.91
7. Juan Rando Galvez (ESP) 54.93
8. Daniel Orzechowshki (BRA) 55.16

Heat 5

1. Camille Lacourt (FRA) 53.51 Q
2. Liam Tancock (GBR) 53.86 Q
3. Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS) 54.01 Q
4. Jan-Philip Glania (GER) 54.07 Q
5. Charles Francis (CAN) 54.08 Q
6. Aristeidis Grigoriadis (GRE) 54.52
7. Marcin Tarczynski (POL) 55.06
8. Benjamin Stasiulis (FRA) 55.36

Heat 6

1. Matthew Grevers (USA) 52.92 Q
2. Cheng Feiyi (CHN) 53.22 Q
3. Ryosuke Irie (JPN) 53.56 Q
4. Nick Driebergen (NED) 53.62 Q
5. Hayden Stoeckel (AUS) 53.88 Q
6. Gareth Kean (NZL) 54.26 Q
7. Daniel Arnamnart (AUS) 54.28 Q
8. Charl Crous (RSA) 55.37

Semi-finals

1. Camille Lacourt (FRA) 53.03 Q
2. Liam Tancock (GBR) 53.25 Q
3. Cheng Feiyi (CHN) 53.50 Q
4. Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS) 53.79
5. Nick Driebergen (NED) 53.81
6. Aristeidis Grigoriadis (GRE) 54.20
7. Charles Francis (CAN) 54.42
8. Daniel Arnamnart (AUS) 54.48

1. Matthew Grevers (USA) 52.66 Q
2. Ryosuke Irie (JPN) 53.29 Q
3. Nick Thoman (USA) 53.47 Q
4. Helge Meeuw (GER) 53.52 Q
5. Hayden Stoeckel (AUS) 53.74 Q
6. Jan-Philip Glania (GER) 53.90
7. Aschwin Wildeboer Faber (ESP) 53.99
8. Gareth Kean (NZL) 54.00

100m Breaststroke

Final

1. Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) 58.46 WR
2. Christian Sprenger (AUS) 58.93
3. Brendan Hansen (USA) 59.49
4. Daniel Gyurta (HUN) 59.53
5. Kosuke Kitajima (JPN) 59.79
6. Brenton Rickard (AUS) 59.87
7. Fabio Scozzoli (ITA) 59.97
8. Giedrius Titenis (LTU) 1:00.84

4x100m Freestyle relay

Heat 1

1. France 3:13.38 Q
2. South Africa 3:13.93 Q
3. Italy 3:15.78 Q
4. Brazil 3:16.14
5. Canada 3:16.42
6. Great Britain 3:17.08
7. Venezuela 3:22.68

Heat 2

1. Australia 3:12.29 Q
2. United States 3:12.59 Q
3. Russia 3:12.77 Q
4. Germany 3:13.51 Q
5. Belgium 3:13.89 Q
6. China 3:17.00
7. Serbia 3:18.79
8. Hungary 3:21.91

Final

1. France 3:09.93
(Leveaux, Gilot, Lefert, Agnel)
2. United States 3:10.38
(Adrian, Phelps, Jones, Lochte)
3. Russia 3:11.41
(Grechin, Lobintsev, Morozov, Izotov)
4. Australia 3:11.63
(Magnussen, Targett, Sullivan, Roberts)
5. South Africa 3:13.45
(Louw, Townsend, Moore, Schoeman)
6. Germany 3:13.52
(Starke, Deibler, Fildebrandt, di Carli)
7. Italy 3:14.13
(Dotto, Orsi, Santucci, Magnini)
8. Belgium 3:14.40
(Dekoninck, Aerents, Vanluchene, Timmers)

Women

100m Backstroke

Heat 1

1. Karen Vilorio Muchnik (HON) 1:06.38
2. Monica Ramirez Abella (AND) 1:07.72
3. Ines Remersaro Coronel (URU) 1:08.03
4. Anahit Barseghyan (ARM) 1:08.19
5. Angelique Trinquier (MON) 1:10.79

Heat 2

1. Li Tao (SIN) 1:01.60
2. Eyglo Osk Gustafsdottir (ISL) 1:02.40
3. Melanie Nocher (EIR) 1:02.44
4. Anja Carman (SLO) 1:02.68
5. Sanja Jovanovic (CRO) 1:03.38
6. Eszter Povazsay (HUN) 1:03.55
7. Yekaterina Rudenko (KAZ) 1:03.64
8. Hazal Sarikaya (TUR) 1:04.80

Heat 3

1. Maria Fernanda Gonzalez Ramirez (MEX) 1:01.28
2. Alicja Tchorz (POL) 1:01.44
3. Carolina Colorado Henao (COL) 1:01.81
4. Kimberly Buys (BEL) 1:01.92
5. Melissa Ingram (NZL) 1:01.94
6. Ekaterina Avramova (BUL) 1:02.20
7. Therese Svendsen (SWE) 1:03.11
8. Stephanie Au Hoi-Shun (HKG) 1:04.31

Heat 4

1. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 58.23 Q
2. Georgia Davies (GBR) 59.92 Q
3. Zhao Jing (CHN) 59.97 Q
4. Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) 1:00.24 Q
5. Arianna Barbieri (ITA) 1:00.25 Q
6. Mie Nielsen (DEN) 1:00.38
7. Duane Da rocha marce (ESP) 1:00.57
8. Sharon Van Rouwendaal (NED) 1:00.61

Heat 5

1. Anastasia Zueva (RUS) 59.88 Q
2. Julia Wilkinson (CAN) 59.94 Q
3. Rachel Bootsma (USA) 1:00.03 Q
4. Gemma Spofforth (GBR) 1:00.05 Q
5. Sinead Russell (CAN) 1:00.10 Q
6. Daryna Zevina (UKR) 1:00.57
7. Fabiola Molina (BRA) 1:01.40
8. Elena Gemo (ITA) 1:01.77

Heat 6

1. Missy Franklin (USA) 59.37 Q
2. Belinda Hocking (AUS) 59.61 Q
3. Aya Terakawa (JPN) 59.82 Q
4. Fu Yuanhui (CHN) 59.96 Q
5. Simona Baumrtova (CZE) 59.99 Q
6. Alexianne Castel (FRA) 1:00.16 Q
7. Jenny Mensing (GER) 1:00.72
8. Laure Manaudou (FRA) 1:01.03

Semi-finals

1. Missy Franklin (USA) 59.12 Q
2. Aya Terakawa (JPN) 59.34 Q
3. Gemma Spofforth (GBR) 59.70 Q
4. Fu Yuanhui (CHN) 59.82 Q
5. Simona Baumrtova (CZE) 1:00.02
6. Alexianne Castel (FRA) 1:00.24
7. Arianna Barbieri (ITA) 1:00.27
8. Georgia Davies (GBR) 1:00.56

1. Emily Seebohm (AUS) 58.39 Q
2. Zhao Jing (CHN) 59.55 Q
3. Anastasia Zueva (RUS) 59.68 Q
4. Belinda Hocking (AUS) 59.79 Q
5. Julia Wilkinson (CAN) 59.91
6. Rachel Bootsma (USA) 1:00.04
7. Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) 1:00.39
8. Sinead Russell (CAN) 1:00.57

100m Breaststroke

Heat 1

1. Ivana Ninkovic (BIH) 1:14.04
2. Pilar Shimizu (GUM) 1:15.76
3. Matelita Buadromo (FIJ) 1:16.33
4. Oksana Hatamkhanova (AZE) 1:25.52
5. Oyungerel Gantumur (MGL) 1:27.17
6. Dede Camara (GUI) 1:38.54

Heat 2

1. Tjasa Vozel (SLO) 1:09.63
2. Anna Sztankovics (HUN) 1:09.65
3. Fanny Babou (FRA) 1:09.76
4. Jenna Laukkanen (FIN) 1:09.92
5. Ana Rodrigues (POR) 1:10.62
6. Danielle Beaubrun (LCA) 1:11.12
7. Chen I-Chuan (TPE) 1:11.28
8. Tatiana Chisca (MDA) 1:13.30

Heat 3

1. Alia S Atkinson (JAM) 1:07.39 Q
2. Suzaan van Biljon (RSA) 1:07.54 Q
3. Sara El Bekri (MOR) 1:08.21
4. Petra Chocova (CZE) 1:08.59
5. Michela Guzzetti (ITA) 1:08.83
6. Dilara Buse Gunaydin (TUR) 1:09.43
7. Hyejin Kim (KOR) 1:09.79
8. Mariia Liver (UKR) 1:11.23

Heat 4

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 1:05.56 Q
2. Leisel Jones (AUS) 1:06.98 Q
3. Leiston Pickett (AUS) 1:07.41 Q
4. Zhao Jin (CHN) 1:07.68 Q
5. Mina Matsushima (JPN) 1:07.69 Q
6. Jillian Tyler (CAN) 1:07.81 Q
7. Marina Garcia urzainqui (ESP) 1:08.64
8. Sycerika Mcmahon (EIR) 1:08.80

Heat 5

1. Breeja Larson (USA) 1:06.58 Q
2. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) 1:07.08 Q
3. Rikke Pedersen (DEN) 1:07.23 Q
4. Tera Van Beilen (CAN) 1:07.85 Q
5. Liu Xiaoyu (CHN) 1:07.99
6. Joline Hostman (SWE) 1:08.28
7. Caroline Ruhnau (GER) 1:08.43
8. Kate Haywood (GBR) 1:09.22

Heat 6

1. Rebecca Soni (USA) 1:05.75 Q
2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 1:06.51 Q
3. Sarah Poewe (GER) 1:07.12 Q
4. Jennie Johansson (SWE) 1:07.14 Q
5. Moniek Nijhuis (NED) 1:08.31
6. Siobhan-Marie Oconnor (GBR) 1:08.32
7. Daria Deeva (RUS) 1:08.44
8. Concepcion Badillo Diaz (ESP) 1:12.58

Semi-finals

1. Rebecca Soni (USA) 1:05.98 Q
2. Breeja Larson (USA) 1:06.70 Q
3. Satomi Suzuki (JPN) 1:07.10 Q
4. Tera Van Beilen (CAN) 1:07.48
4. Alia S Atkinson (JAM) 1:07.48
6. Jennie Johansson (SWE) 1:07.57
7. Suzaan van Biljon (RSA) 1:07.68
8. Mina Matsushima (JPN) 1:08.26

1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) 1:05.21 Q
2. Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 1:06.57 Q
3. Leisel Jones (AUS) 1:06.81 Q
4. Rikke Pedersen (DEN) 1:06.82 Q
5. Sarah Poewe (GER) 1:07.68
6. Leiston Pickett (AUS) 1:07.74
7. Jillian Tyler (CAN) 1:07.87
8. Zhao Jin (CHN) 1:07.97

400m Freestyle

Heat 1

1. Mojca Sagmeister (SLO) 4:21.55
2. Andrea Cedron Rodriguez (PER) 4:24.18
3. Jennet Saryyeva (TKM) 5:40.29

Heat 2

1. Nina Rangelova (BUL) 4:11.71
2. Kristel Kobrich (CHI) 4:12.02
3. Aya Takano (JPN) 4:12.33
4. Julia Hassler (LIE) 4:12.99
5. Susana Escobar Torres (MEX) 4:14.78
6. Natthanan Junkrajang (THA) 4:16.45
7. Lynette Lim (SIN) 4:18.64
8. Gaeul Kim (KOR) 4:43.46

Heat 3

1. Rebecca Adlington (GBR) 4:05.75 Q
2. Chloe Sutton (USA) 4:07.07
3. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) 4:08.23
4. Eva Risztov (HUN) 4:09.08
5. Li Xuanxu (CHN) 4:10.95
6. Camelia Alina Potec (ROM) 4:11.43
7. Joanne Jackson (GBR) 4:11.50
8. Wendy Trott (RSA) 4:11.63

Heat 4

1. Coralie Balmy (FRA) 4:03.56 Q
2. Brittany Maclean (CAN) 4:05.06 Q
3. Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 4:05.30 Q
4. Kylie Palmer (AUS) 4:07.27
5. Shao Yiwen (CHN) 4:08.41
6. Andreina Pinto Perez (VEN) 4:08.45
7. Savannah King (CAN) 4:10.93
8. Grainne Murphy (EIR) 4:19.07

Heat 5

1. Camille Muffat (FRA) 4:03.29 Q
2. Allison Schmitt (USA) 4:03.31 Q
3. Lauren Boyle (NZL) 4:03.63 Q
4. Lotte Friis (DEN) 4:04.22 Q
5. Melania Costa Schmid (ESP) 4:06.75
6. Bronte Barratt (AUS) 4:07.99
7. Boglarka Kapas (HUN) 4:10.01
8. Elena Sokolova (RUS) 4:12.19

Final

1. Camille Muffat (FRA) 4:01.45
2. Allison Schmitt (USA) 4:01.77
3. Rebecca Adlington (GBR) 4:03.01
4. Lotte Friis (DEN) 4:03.98
5. Federica Pellegrini (ITA) 4:04.50
6. Coralie Balmy (FRA) 4:05.95
7. Brittany Maclean (CAN) 4:06.24
8. Lauren Boyle (NZL) 4:06.25

100m Butterfly

Final

1. Dana Vollmer (USA) 55.98 (WR)
2. Lu Ying (CHN) 56.87
3. Alicia Coutts (AUS) 56.94
4. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 57.17
5. Ilaria Bianchi (ITA) 57.27
6. Jeanette Gray (DEN) 57.35
7. Claire Donahue (USA) 57.48
8. Ellen Gandy (GBR) 57.76

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