In-form Schoenmaker eyes gold rush

Wesley Bo on

Swimming star Tatjana Schoenmaker (right) aims to break a 10year drought after clinching a place among the medal contenders in the build-up to the World Short-Course Championships in Hangzhou, China, in December.

Though the usual suspects again showcased their form among the men, with seven individuals achieving the qualifying standards, four women also booked their places in the provisional team after delivering superb performances at the SA Short-Course Swimming Championships in Durban last week.

Schoenmaker won gold in the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events, shattering two records along the way.

First she touched the wall in 1:05.12 to set a new African mark in the 100m final, and on Sunday’s last day of competition, she clocked 30.44 to break Penny Heyns’ 19-year-old SA record in the 50m sprint. She clipped another 0.05 off her own record, completing the final in 30.39.

While South Africa has bagged 15 medals at the last four editions of the World Short-Course Championships, they were all secured by male swimmers. The last SA woman to be on the podium was Suzaan van Biljon, who bagged gold and bronze in breaststroke finals in Manchester in 2008.

Others to book their places last week included nine-time shortcourse world champion Chad le Clos and reigning 50m breaststroke world champion Cameron van der Burgh.