For the first time in 10 years it was a different face that topped the podium after the men’s 200m breaststroke at the Telkom South African National Championships in Durban on Friday night.
In the absence of nine-time champion and Olympic silver medallist Terence Parkin (who missed the heats of the race because of dental treatment), one of the country’s top up-and-coming swimmers stepped in as a capable replacement.
William Diering added the 200m breaststroke gold to the 100m breaststroke title he won earlier in the week, winning in a time of 2:13,54, with Matthew Josephson second in 2:19,21 and Ashley Oliver third in 2:19,63.
”We have been looking for a breaststroker for the top level, specifically with the medley relay in mind, so we’re very happy with William’s performance here,” said national coach Dirk Lange.
”I was hoping for Terence’s record [which he missed by just a second] but I’m just happy to have the title,” said 19-year-old Diering.
Just one race before, the former Potchefstroom resident’s training partner, Suzaan van Biljon, had also successfully completed the breaststroke double, winning the women’s 200m breaststroke in 2:28,38.
One of the performances of the night came from KwaZulu-Natal swimmer Melissa Corfe, who was out with a point to prove. Having been left out of the 4x200m freestyle relay team at the Commonwealth Games, Corfe raced to victory in the 200m freestyle in Durban in an impressive 2:02,45.
This was Corfe’s third gold of the championships, having already won the 400m freestyle and 200m backstroke golds. Christy Lategan was second in the race in 2:04,22 and Leone Vorster third in 2:04,63.
George du Rand, meanwhile, successfully defended his 100m butterfly, winning in a time of 53,71 and reckoned afterwards: ”I’m very happy with that. I’m looking to do big things in this event.”
Mandy Loots managed to do the same in the women’s event, which she won in 1:00,30 from Keri Shaw (1:00,73) — the up-and-coming Pretoria swimmer who got the better of Loots in the 200m butterfly on Wednesday.
”I’m happy with that, considering I’ve been tapering for about two months now,” said Loots, who has not been well in the build-up to this competition.
”I went on antibiotics at the end of the Commonwealth Games but when I got to Shanghai for the World Short Course Championships I could feel I wasn’t right, so I came home to sort myself out. I’m feeling a lot better now, but I’m not at my sharpest.”
As for her thoughts on Shaw, the ever-amicable Loots added: ”It’s always nice to have someone pushing you. Keri is very talented and I think she got a great future ahead of her.”
Troyden Prinsloo proved again he is in a class of his own at these championships, winning the 800m freestyle title in 7,59,76. The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist finished more than 17 seconds clear of second-placed Riaan Schoeman (8:17,15) and third-placed Shane Fantham (8;19,39).
And in the 50m backstroke dash, it was Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist Gerhard Zandberg who came out on top, winning in 26,17, while Karin Prinsloo took the women’s honours in 30,23. In the disabled events, Craig Groenewald (2:27,05) picked up another gold in the 200m individual medley, while Jessica Knight (2:52,73) took the women’s title. — Sapa