Grand performances by local stars
This past weekend local swimmers brought star quality to the first leg of the SA Swimming Grand Prix in Mbombela when they competed against some of the country's top swimmers.
Liza-Mari Drummond, Jordyn Minifie (both of Uniswim), Christelle Kriel (Nelspruit Swimming Academy) and Mel Stronkhorst (Komatipoort) produced strong swims early in the year in their respective items.
Stronkhorst (23) bagged bronze medals in the final of the 100-metre freestyle and during the preliminaries of the 50-metre breaststroke. He also competed in the 50-metre fly, 100-metre breaststroke, 50-metres backstroke and 50-metre freestyle events.
Coach of Uniswim, Detlef Schmidt, were incredibly chuffed with his swimmers. “Jordyn swam 02:31 in the 200-metre butterfly. She improved on her personal best that used to be 02:34:2. This was her last event before the Youth Nationals in Durban in April. Liza-Mari currently swims the 100-metre free in one minute flat. I would like to see her clock in 59 seconds. She will swim one more event before the nationals. I am very proud, there is still a lot of work to be done, but we are on the right track.”
During the KwaZulu-Natal Championships Kriel broke the SA record for 100-metre fly, 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre freestyle. She set a new African record in the 200-metre backstroke as well.
She was totally dominant in her own class and now has three B qualifying times for the Rio 2016 Paralympics. She is aiming to qualify in Olympic A times before or at nationals in April.
She had improved on her 200-metre individual medley event since the Mpumalanga Champs. At the event in November she finished in a time of 02:51:90 and this past weekend she did it in 02:49:96.
Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos posted an Olympic qualifying time of 51,82 seconds in the men’s 100-metre butterfly. “In terms of my freestyle preparations, it is going really well, my 100 metres is looking sharp. I mean, I swam the 48,1 last year unshaven and I feel I can go 47 seconds,” Le Clos said.
“It is unfortunate the (Olympic) 100-metre freestyle is just before the 200-metre butterfly final; it is almost impossible to attempt both. It is an option and I believe my 100-metre freestyle is one of the best in the world. And in 2017 I would like to win the world titles in the 100-metre freestyle – that
would be my goal.”
