Cameron ends on huge high

Cameron van der Burgh won the fifth world championship gold medal of his career on Wednesday and then confirmed his retirement.

The newly married 30-yearold‚ who recently relocated to London to pursue a career in finance‚ claimed victory in the 100m breaststroke in a 56.01sec championship record at the short-course (25m pool) showpiece in Hangzhou‚ China.

Van der Burgh‚ the Olympic champion at London 2012 and silver medallist in Rio four years later‚ made the podium at every world championship gala in which he competed‚ starting with his debut as a teenager at the 2007 long-course (50m pool) showpiece in Melbourne‚ amassing 17 medals in total.

Over the years he’s missed only the 2012 short-course gala.

Van der Burgh was chuffed with his victory.

“It means the world to me. It is my last race‚ so I am extremely happy‚” he said in quotes released by race organisers.

“The world championship means a lot. It is the last one. It is sad but I am happy to end on a high‚” he added‚ saying he had to fight incredible pain over the final metres.

“The last 25 metres was the most pain I have ever had in my life in swimming‚ so it was a good way to finish.

“It is funny how these things turn out. At least I have no loose ends to tie up or reason to come back.”

Van der Burgh edged Ilya Shymanovich of Belarus by ninehundredths of a second.

“When I made the turn at 75 metres I knew I had a good chance and I had to hold on.”

Van der Burgh still owns the 100m and 50m breaststroke short-course world records (55.61 and 25.25).

In other SA action in China on the day‚ Chad le Clos qualified for Thursday’s 100m butterfly final where he will go up against new American star Caeleb Dressel. Le Clos won his semifinal in 49.07. —

Funny how these things turn out. At least I have no loose ends to tie up