The morning heats at the SA swimming championships at the Kings Park pool were as gloomy as the Durban weather. None took it lighter than Olympic star Chad Le Clos who swam in the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
In the freestyle event‚ the Olympic gold medallist finished third in the heats after Roland Schoeman and Myles Brown‚ while in the individual medley‚ the 23-year-old finished with the eighth fastest time for a spot in Friday’s final.
Faster times and qualifying marks are expected later in the day when the swimmers take part in the finals on Thursday night.
Le Clos will be hoping for a podium finish in the 200m butterfly.
There continues to be a concern with the lack of women swimming qualifying times for the world champs to be held in Kazan‚ Russia‚ in August.
There will be opportunities for the likes of Karin Prinsloo‚ the national champs fastest women swimmer‚ to have another shot at securing a ticket to Russia.
The women will be swimming in the final of the 200m and 800m freestyle and semifinal for the 200m butterfly from 6pm on Thursday night.
Morning times:
Men
50m Backstroke: 1. Gerhard Zandberg (Northern Tigers) 25.34; 2. Charl Crous (KZN) 26.46; 3. Michael Andrew (Indiana) 26.46 100m Freestyle: 1. Roland Schoeman (Northern Tigers) 50.17; 2. Myles Brown (KZN) 50.46; 3. Chad Le Clos (KZN) 50.48 200m Individual Medley: 1. Jarryd Baxter (Central Gauteng) 2:07.30; 2. Ayrton Sweeney (KZN) 2:07.35; 3. Michael Andrew (Indiana) 2:07.60
Women
50m Backstroke: 1. Mariella Venter (Central Gauteng) 30.09; 2. Jessica Ashley-Cooper (WP) 30.16; 3. Rita Naude (Northern Tigers) 30.32 200m Butterfly: 1. Rene Warnes (KZN) 2:14.32; Tarryn Els (EP) 2:19.98; Carmen le Roux (KZN) 2:21.12 200m Backstroke: 1. Karin Prinsloo (Northern Tigers) 2:18.27; Nathania van Niekerk (Central Gauteng) 2:19.72; Zanre Oberholzer (Namibia) 2:20.19 800m Freestyle: 1. Caitlin Kat (WP) 9:04.06; 2. Michelle Weber (KZN) 9:07.85; 3. Carmen Le Roux (KZN) 9:09.13
SPORT: Le Clos takes it slow for the heats
In the freestyle event‚ the Olympic gold medallist finished third in the heats after Roland Schoeman and Myles Brown‚ while in the individual medley‚ the 23-year-old finished with the eighth fastest time for a spot in Friday’s final.
Faster times and qualifying marks are expected later in the day when the swimmers take part in the finals on Thursday night.
Le Clos will be hoping for a podium finish in the 200m butterfly.
There continues to be a concern with the lack of women swimming qualifying times for the world champs to be held in Kazan‚ Russia‚ in August.
There will be opportunities for the likes of Karin Prinsloo‚ the national champs fastest women swimmer‚ to have another shot at securing a ticket to Russia.
The women will be swimming in the final of the 200m and 800m freestyle and semifinal for the 200m butterfly from 6pm on Thursday night.
Morning times:
Men
50m Backstroke: 1. Gerhard Zandberg (Northern Tigers) 25.34; 2. Charl Crous (KZN) 26.46; 3. Michael Andrew (Indiana) 26.46 100m Freestyle: 1. Roland Schoeman (Northern Tigers) 50.17; 2. Myles Brown (KZN) 50.46; 3. Chad Le Clos (KZN) 50.48 200m Individual Medley: 1. Jarryd Baxter (Central Gauteng) 2:07.30; 2. Ayrton Sweeney (KZN) 2:07.35; 3. Michael Andrew (Indiana) 2:07.60
Women
50m Backstroke: 1. Mariella Venter (Central Gauteng) 30.09; 2. Jessica Ashley-Cooper (WP) 30.16; 3. Rita Naude (Northern Tigers) 30.32 200m Butterfly: 1. Rene Warnes (KZN) 2:14.32; Tarryn Els (EP) 2:19.98; Carmen le Roux (KZN) 2:21.12 200m Backstroke: 1. Karin Prinsloo (Northern Tigers) 2:18.27; Nathania van Niekerk (Central Gauteng) 2:19.72; Zanre Oberholzer (Namibia) 2:20.19 800m Freestyle: 1. Caitlin Kat (WP) 9:04.06; 2. Michelle Weber (KZN) 9:07.85; 3. Carmen Le Roux (KZN) 9:09.13
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