With South Africa’s Commonwealth Games triple gold medallist Roland Schoeman out of action with flu, all eyes will be on the country’s two-time World Cup champion Ryk Neethling as the World Short-Course Championships kick off in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Schoeman headed back to his home in the United States because of the illness that also had him under the weather for much of the Commonwealth Games. But in his absence, eight other South Africans will be flying their country’s flag in China.
Leading the charge will be Neethling, who has enjoyed much success in short-course swimming (contested in a 25m pool) recently, having picked up his second consecutive victory in the World Cup series earlier this year.
Neethling holds the short-course world record in the 100m individual medley and will be keen to add a world title to that collection. And should he manage to better his own world mark of 51,52 seconds, organisers have promised a $15 000 reward.
Neethling has also been pencilled in to compete in the 50m, 100, and 200m freestyle events. But, according to Swimming SA performance manager Rushdee Warley: ”That could change. We’ll just have to see how it goes and how he’s feeling.”
Warley said: ”Obviously Ryk will be looking to carry on where he left off in the World Cup series and I think this will be a great experience for swimmers like Suzaan van Biljon and George du Rand, who have also performed well recently.
”Most of them are coming off a strong competition at the Commonwealth Games, so [they] could be tired, but at the same time can still lift themselves for a good performance in Shanghai.”
While the US has not sent its strongest contingent to the championships, the South Africans will be up against a phenomenal line-up from some of the other nations. Among the men’s field there will be 21 world long-course medallists (from 2005), 27 world short-course medallists (from 2004), nine Athens Olympic medallists and seven short-course world-record holders.
The women’s line-up is similarly impressive. The field includes 19 world long-course medallists, 32 world short-course medallists, seven Olympic medallists and five short-course world-record holders.
The event will see 128 nations, ranging from Guatemala to Mongolia, competing at the impressive Qi Zhong Stadium (which has a seating capacity of 15 000 and is shaped like a magnolia — the city of Shanghai’s official flower) from April 5 to 9. — Sapa
Team SA
Women: Mandy Loots (50m, 100m, 200m butterfly, 100m and 200m individual medley), Lauren Roets (50m, 100m freestyle), Suzaan van Biljon (50m, 100m, 200m breaststroke), Chanelle van Wyk (50m, 100m backstroke and 50m, 100m butterfly)
Men: Ryk Neethling (50m, 100m, 200m freestyle, 100m individual medley), Terence Parkin (200m freestyle, 50m, 100m, 200m breaststroke, 400m individual medley), George du Rand (50m, 100m, 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly), Fouche Venter (50m, 100m butterfly)