Two more African records fell to Team SA swimmers at the World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester. They went to Kat Swanepoel in the S4 100m freestyle and Alani Ferreira in the women’s S12 100m butterfly.
Swanepoel, who had won Team SA’s first medal at these championships with silver in the 50m breaststroke, was back in the water, this time in the straight final of the S4 100m freestyle.
Having come into the event with a qualifying time of 1:40.37, Swanepoel was in lane seven, with Tanya Scholtz, of Germany, the overwhelming favourite with an entry time of 1:19.28. Scholtz duly surged to gold in 1:22.18, while Swanepoel placed fifth in an African record 1:36.13.
Ferreira also went into a straight final, in the S12 100m butterfly, where she was in lane one. As expected, gold was one won by Maria Santiago Gomez, of Brazil, in 1:05.68, but teher was an African record for Ferreira, who placed seventh in 1:18.35.
A third Team SA swimmer was involved in Tuesday night’s finals, where 16-year-old Danicka Vyncke, in lane one, placed seventh in 1:23.08. It was fast enough to qualify for next year’s Paralympics in Paris.
MEDALS SO FAR
Silver
Kat Swanepoel (SB3 50m breaststroke)
AFRICAN RECORDS SO FAR (3)
Kat Swanepoel (SB3 50m breaststroke, 57.19)
Kat Swanepoel (S4 100m freestyle, 1:36.13)
Alani Ferreira (S12 100m butterfly, 1:18.35)