Rebecca Meder continued to show her rising form in the breaststroke events, powering back from sixth place at the halfway mark to finish third in her 100m breaststroke semifinal at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest on Wednesday, 11 December 2024.
She touched the side in 1:04.04, good enough to book her place in Thursday’s final, where the 22-year-old may well target Tatjana Smith’s African record of 1:03.89.
“Coming in I wanted to go under 1:05… so I’m just stoked that I’m in that final!”
World Short Course Championships 100m Final Qualifier, Rebecca Meder
“These are the girls I watched in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and to be in the same semifinal as them in breaststroke is like – where did that come from? I’m excited, and let’s just see what I have in the tank for tomorrow. It’s a big day,” added the two-time Olympian, who will also compete in the 100m individual medley on Thursday.

Meder had earlier finished second in her morning heat in a time of 1:04.57 to secure her spot in the semifinal as the eighth-fastest qualifier.
Also competing in the event was 2022 Commonwealth Games champion Lara van Niekerk, whose 1:05.57 for third place in her heat saw her finishing 22nd overall, and out of semifinal contention. Van Niekerk’s main focus will be on the 50m breaststroke.
Earlier in the day, South Africa’s 4x50m mixed medley team of Jessica Thompson, Michael Houlie, Caitlin de Lange and Kris Mihaylov set a new African record of 1:41.32 on their way to fifth in their heat which, sadly, was not enough to see them through to the evening final, however.
Before the relay, De Lange finished 32nd overall in the 100m freestyle heats with a time of 53.91 seconds while Stephanie Houtman was fifth in her 800m freestyle race in 8:30.32 to finish 22nd overall.
Daily Wraps at the 2024 World Short Course Championships in Budapest, Hungary
10 December Meet Preview
11 December Day 1 Wrap
Women Participants in the South African Team
Cailtin de Lange (50, 100m freestyle)
Milla Drakopoulos (100m backstroke)
Stephanie Houtman (800, 1500m freestyle)
Rebecca Meder (100, 200m breaststroke, 100, 200m individual medley)
Jaime Mote (100m butterfly)
Hannah Pearse (200m backstroke)
Hannah Robertson
Jessica Thompson (50m butterfly, 50m backstroke)
Lara van Niekerk (50, 100m breaststroke)
Original Copy: Karien Jonckheere for Swimming SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: New African 4x50m Mixed Medley Record Holders Jessica Thompson, Michael Houlie, Caitlin de Lange and Kris Mihaylov on Day 2 of the World Short Course Swimming Championships, in Budapest on Wednesday, 11 December, 2024. Photo: Wayne Riddin
Photo 2 Caption: Rebecca Meder stormed to third to qualify for the 100m Breaststroke Final, on Day 2 of the World Short Course Swim Champs. Photo: World Aquatics