WATER SPORT NEWS - Erin Gallagher, Rebecca Meder and Ayrton Sweeney produced a thrilling final day to the SA Swimming Grand Prix at the Stellenbosch University Swimming Pool on Sunday.
The trio of Gallagher, Inge Weidemann and Emma Chelius dominated the 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly races when they claimed the first three positions, with Gallagher touching the wall in 55.95 and 27.53, respectively.
Weidemann claimed the silver in the freestyle in 57.58 to Chelius’ 57.50, while Emma finished second in the butterfly event in 28.27 to Inge’s 28.51.
Meder was in top form as she bagged the gold in the 400m individual medley in 4:54.59 ahead of Jana Botha in 5:19.69 and Kiara Barnes in 5:25.18, and later in the day went on to win the bronze in the 400m freestyle in 4:25.72, behind Kristin Bellingan in 4:22.57 and Kate Beavon in 4:25.70.
Sweeney’s golden time of 2:03.10 saw him claim the top spot in the 200m individual medley, over four seconds ahead of Luan Grobbelaar in 2:08.32 and Henju Duvenhage in 2:14.96, with Sweeney’s second medal coming in the 100m breaststroke, a bronze, clocking 1:03.06 behind Michael Houlie in 1:02.42 and Alaric Basson in 1:02.89.
Grobbelaar also went on to win the bronze in the 200m backstroke in 2:11.65 behind Martin Binedell in 2:03.29 and Ian Venter in 2:09.81, while Duvenhage walked away with the silver in the 100m butterfly in 55.92 ahead of Gavin Smith in 56.71 and behind Alard Basson in 55.51.
