Teen delighted by her form
Teenager Nathania van Niekerk (above) is delighted to be finding her best form in preparation for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
Van Niekerk was among a handful of junior prospects to achieve the required standards in their respective disciplines, forming part of a 25-member provisional squad after four days of competition at the week-long national swimming trials which were set to come to a close in Durban tomorrow.
“To be able to qualify in the 200m backstroke, which has always been my main event, is really satisfying,” she said after winning gold in 2:14.75 on Tuesday night.
“My time in the Olympic trials (last year) was much faster than this but I have only been training backstroke again for eight months and to be able to get down under a qualifying time for the Commonwealth Games is really exciting.”
Aside from 18-year-old Van Niekerk, fellow teenagers Kate Beavon (8:49.16) and Kristin Bellingan (8:49.51) earned gold and silver in the 800m freestyle, also achieving the qualifying standards in their respective events on Tuesday evening.
Tatjana Schoenmaker and Kaylene Corbett raced to their second qualification times in the 100m breaststroke in 1:07.89 and 1:09.57 respectively.
Chad le Clos spearheaded another impressive charge in the men’s 100m butterfly final, touching the wall in 52.43, with Ryan Coetzee (52.92) and Daniel Ronaldson (53.71) following him under the Games standard.
Cameron van der Burgh was in record-breaking form in the 50m breaststroke, clocking a new KZN Record time of 27.28, to Brad Tandy’s 28.00 from earlier in the year. Michael Houlie claimed the silver in 28.54 and Jared Pike the bronze in 28.74.
Erin Gallagher (54.93) and Emma Chelius (56.53) did what was required in the women’s 100m freestyle final, while Tatjana Schoenmaker (1:07.89) and Kaylene Corbett (1:09.57) dipped under the Games mark in the 100m breaststroke.
To be able to qualify in the 200m backstroke, which has always been my main event, is really satisfying. Nathania van Niekerk