OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Friday 6.00pm.
DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Penny Heyns swam her second fastest 200m breaststroke ever in 2:25,84 at the national swimming championships in Durban on Friday, just missing her Olympic and African mark of 2:25,41.
Free State’s Ryk Neethling broke the African record in the men’s 100m freestyle, dramatically coming from behind with 30m to go to win in 50,13 seconds.
Neethling, the Commonwealth Games 1500m silver medallist, got off to a slow start behind KwaZulu-Natal swimmers Nicholas Folker and defending champion Brendon Dedekind, winner of the 50m silver medal at Commonwealth. Folker was the first to turn in 24,09, in front of Dedekind(24,76) and Neethling (24,89).
But Neethling, who studies psychology at Arizona University, overtook Folker just before the finish.
Neethling, who has already won the SA 200m freestyle, is also the favourite to win the 400m later on Friday evening as well as the 1500m on Saturday.
Heyns, who swam a 2:25,98 in the morning heat, led from the start in the final. And her fast pace gave 16-year-old Cape Town swimming sensation Sarah Poewe something to chase, finishing second in an impressive 2:28,64.
Christine Cech (KZN) upstaged teammate Charlene Wittstock to win the women’s 100m freestyle in 57,79 — just inside the Pan Pacifics qualifying time of 58,83.
Nationals is the only qualifying event for the international competition in Sydney in August, and swimmers must meet stipulated times in A-finals.