Legend Cameron bows out in style
Veteran SA star reclaims world title, then announces retirement
PRODUCING typical “big moment” temperament, Cameron van der Burgh announced his retirement in emphatic fashion by winning the 100m breaststroke gold medal at the World Short-Course Championships in Hangzhou, China, yesterday.
Van der Burgh, 30, shone as brightly as he did when he made his world championships debut 11 years ago by claiming his seventh world short-course medal.
Like so many times before, the strapping South African produced when it mattered at the highest level and yesterday he dropped the mic when announcing he would hang up his goggles.
“It means the world to me, it is my last race so I am extremely happy,” he said. “The world championship means a lot, it is the last one. It is sad but I am happy to end on a high.”
The SA legend produced a stunning performance that belied his years by reclaiming the title he won eight years ago
Swimming from lane seven, Van der Burgh took the race out fast and led at the halfway point.
While it looked like he was fading, he held on to touch first in a new championship record of 56.01 seconds, chopping 0.28sec off the previous mark.
He touched ahead of Belarus’s Ilya Shymanovich and Japan’s Yashuhiro Koseki, who clocked new national records of 56.10 and 56.13sec respectively.
“I am beyond happy. When I made the turn at 75 metres, I knew I had a good chance and I had to hold on,” Van der Burgh said.
“Luckily it wasn’t one metre more or I would have lost that one. 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’s gold came a day after fellow Olympic champion Chad le Clos, pictured, relinquished his 200m butterfly crown, winning silver in an African record.
Le Clos is still on target for his fourth consecutive 100m butterfly gold after winning his semi-final in the second fastest time.
Quickest was Le Clos’ biggest threat, American Caeleb Dressel, who won his race in 48.93sec.
The South African suffered early disappointment when he missed out on the 200m freestyle final when he finished 10th in the heats.
The country’s top women’s swimmer at the championship, Erin Gallagher produced the goods in the 100m freestyle by lowering her SA record in both the heats and the semi-finals to advance to the final.