Lize-Mari Sets New African Record

African 50 metres butterfly record-holder Lize-Mari Retief (right) and Chanelle van Wyk show off their respective gold and silver medals at the Telkom SA Short Course Championships, just completed at the GC Jollife Swimming Pool in Pietermaritzburg. Pictures courtesy Swimming SA

Lize-Mari Retief is feeling on top of the world after her African record-breaking feat in the 100 metres butterfly took her to the top of the FINA short course world rankings, on the final day of the Telkom SA Short Course Championships just completed in Pietermaritzburg.

All the water in the GC Jollife swimming pool could not quench Retief’s fiery onslaught, as the Pretoria University student clocked a winning time of 57,53 seconds – superior to her continental best of 58,41 posted the previous evening.

Such was the momentum of the showpiece final that the experienced Amanda Loots – whose held the African record at 58,42 prior the start of the championships – took the silver medal on offer in a speedy 58,16. 

Teenage swimming sensation Jessica Pengelly takes in news of her new 400 metres individual medley SA record.

 
"I knew I would have to go out hard over the first 50 metres as Loots
is a tough competitor, and not one to give up easily," said an excited
Retief afterwards.

"My coach told me that the effort would hurt and it did, but it was
all worth it as I missed swimming fast times during my few months
absence from competitive swimming due to illness," said Retief.

Word is that Swimming SA’s statisticians are considering making an
ink stamp with her name on, after having had to fill her name in on two
occasions as se posted African best times in the 50 metres butterfly.
That record, also formerly held by Loots, now stands at 26,03.

Somerset West’s new golden girl of swimming, Jessica Pengelly, continued to impress, as she claimed the 200 metres individual medley medal in 2:13,00, holding off a firm challenge from Suzaan van Biljon (2:13,85) in the process.

Pengelly, 16, who set a new national record in the 400 metres individual medley earlier in the week, made a second trip to the podium on the final day, in claiming the 200 metres backstroke title in 2:10.78.

Swimming SA head coach Dirk Lange expressed his delight with the world-class performances delivered at the Telkom SA Short Course Championships by the national squad athletes, as several of the swimmers are still training on Olympic level (long course) programmes.

The names of the SA swimmers to compete at the Durban leg of the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre, and to compete in the other six World Cup legs around the world, will be announced shortly by Swimming SA.