Youth Olympics scramble

Kate Beavon, Christin Mundell and Luan Grobbelaar turned up the tempo during the second day of the SA National Aquatic Championships and Youth Olympics Trials taking place at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Port Elizabeth.

Gauteng’s Beavon was over the moon with her qualification time in the 200m freestyle, grabbing the gold medal in 2:03.27, just 0.08sec under the 2:03.35 requirement.

In the men’s event, Jarryd Baxter was fast off the block in 1:49.84 ahead of Ayrton Sweeney in 1:51.37 and Brent Szurdoki in 1:51.79.

Kwa-Zulu-Natal’s Mundell, 16, added her name to the qualifications list with a fast 1:10.72 in the 100m breaststroke, claiming the silver and shedding over a second from the 1:11.98 requirement.

Kaylene Corbett won the gold in 1:10.66 and Emily Visagie the bronze in 1:11.46.

Mundell also finished top of the 200m individual medley semifinal in 2:20.71.
Grobbelaar also won his respective semifinal in a Youth Olympics Qualification time of 2:06.66.

There was no stopping Mariella Venter as she confirmed her Youth Olympics Qualification time in the 100m backstroke, beating out the competition by over 3secs and clocking 1:01.86 to Hannah Kiely’s 1:04.49.

In the men’s 100m backstroke, Jacques van Wyk touched the wall in a golden 55.80, followed by Martin Binedell in 56.42. Michael Houlie, 17, also confirmed his Youth Olympics Qualification time in the 100m breaststroke, matching his semifinal time of 1:02.57 and winning the silver medal ahead of Brenden Crawford in 1:02.74 and behind Alaric Basson in 1:02.14.

In the 50m butterfly, Olivia Nel, Michaela de Villiers and Jana Coetze made up the medal podium in 28.19, 28.38 and 28.56.

On the men’s side, Douglas Erasmus, Ralph Goveia and Alard Basson took the honours in 24.31, 24.55 and 24.91, respectively.

The SA National Aquatic Championships will continue tomorrow.