SA women upstage men in Algiers

Though the country’s elite women were able to rake in several medals, the SA men’s team battled to produce a significant challenge in the pool, with South Africa settling for second place in the final standings at the African Swimming Championships which came to a close in Algiers at the weekend.

With some of South Africa’s top men skipping the event in favour of the lucrative Fina World Cup series, including four-time Olympic Games medallist Chad le Clos, the Egyptian team stole the show at the continental showpiece.

The SA squad had dominated the previous edition of the African Championships, held in Bloemfontein two years ago, where they finished with a 62-medal bag which was three times bigger than any other participating nation’s medal haul.

While the SA women put up a fight in Algiers, however, earning 10 gold medals in the pool, the men’s squad bagged only two titles, courtesy of Ayrton Sweeney in the 200m breaststroke and 400m individual medley events.

In total, the SA squad secured 40 podium places, with a dominant Egyptian team pocketing 48 medals (including 28 gold) to finish top of the table.

Their men’s contingent was led by Mohamed Samy, who went home with nine gold medals and one bronze, and Egypt’s women’s team was spearheaded by Hania Moro (above), who earned four gold and two silver.