Lara van Niekerk and Rebecca Meder ensured the SA Short Course
Championships in Pietermaritzburg ended on a high note with both swimmers
dipping under the A qualifying time for the World Short Course Championships at
the end of the year in the 200m breaststroke.
It was an impressive result for both swimmers, considering Van Niekerk is better known
for her sprinting in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events, while Meder is more
of an individual medley swimmer.
Both
admitted afterwards that having the other to compete against in the race made
all the difference. Van Niekerk took the national title in a time of 2:22.75
with Meder second in 2:23.37.
“I think if
she hadn’t been next to me, I definitely wouldn’t have gone that hard so I’m
super-happy,” said Van Niekerk.
“It’s another A qualifying time and a good way
to end off this whole competition thing I’ve had going for the last four
months,” added the 19-year-old double Commonwealth Games champion who also
achieved A qualifying times in the 50 and 100m breaststroke in
Pietermaritzburg.
“We laughed
at the end of the race and said if we hadn’t been next to each other, we don’t
know if we would have gone that time but it’s a good way to end the meet,” said
Meder.
“I never
thought I’d get an A time in the 200 breaststroke but being able to go B times
in all my other heat swims and then again in the finals is great. I finally
feel more like myself… it’s good confidence for me for my medleys.”
Van
Niekerk’s coach Eugene da Ponte was also pleased with the week’s work.
“It’s
been a good gala overall coming off the international season we’ve just been
through. There wasn’t much of a break before we went into this, so I was
expecting Lara to be a little bit tired,” he said.
“She still
got through the week with three qualifying times so I’m not going to complain.
I think it was pretty successful overall. We managed to go a little bit faster
in all three events than we were here last year… so overall a good gala and
we’re happy with the results,” added Da Ponte.
Meanwhile,
two swimmers also managed to dip under the B qualifying mark in the 1500m
freestyle – which puts them in the running for selection to the team to compete
at the World Short Course Championships in Melbourne in December.
Stephanie
Houtman claimed the national title in 16:42.10 with Catherine van Rensburg
second in 16:48.60. Dakota Tucker was the other swimmer to dip below the B
qualifying time on Sunday, claiming the 200m butterfly title in 2:13.25.
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