Van der Burgh books spot in World Champs

Cape Town - Veteran Olympic gold medallist Cameron van der Burgh qualified for an impressive fifth World Swimming Short-Course Championships in Durban on Saturday evening.

Cape Town-based Van der Burgh raced to victory in the 100m breaststroke, posting a qualifying time of 57.63 at the SA National Swimming Championships held at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre.

According to the Team SA website, Michael Houlie finished second in 59.28 with Eastern Cape swimmer Alaric Basson bagging bronze in 1:00.16.

So far 10 swimmers have posted qualifying times for the World Swimming Short-Course Championships in China in December.

Double Commonwealth Games gold medalist Tatjana Schoenmaker posted a 100m breaststroke qualifying time during the morning heats.

She ducked below the required time again in the final during the evening session touching in 1:05.12.

Schoenmaker hit the wall ahead of 15-year-Lara van Niekerk in second place with 1:08.34 and Emily Visagie, who finished third in 1:08.35.

The Pretoria powerhouse had already qualified in her specialist 200m breaststroke event earlier at the championships.

Home town girl Erin Gallagher is experiencing a superb championships, qualifying for her third event when she raced to victory in the 100m individual medley.

She won in 1:01.00 with Tayla Lovemore finishing second in 1:01.31 while rising star Rebecca Meder touched third in 1:01.54.

Gallagher qualified for the global showpiece in the 100m freestyle (53.34), 50m butterfly (26.07), and 100m IM.

Zane Waddell won in a qualifying time in the men's 50m backstroke dipping below the qualifying mark for the second time on the day posting a winning time of 23.55.

Jacques van Wyk touched second 24.57 seconds ahead of SA swimming stalwart Gerhard Zandberg, who finished third in 24.67. Waddell had already penciled his name in for the world championships in the 100m freestyle at the Durban trials.

In the 100m IM Olympic finalist Brad Tandy finished first, clocking 54.41 ahead of Zandberg (55.43) and Damian Mullen (55.48) in second and third respectively.

Read full story on Team SA website

Qualifying times after Saturday's third day:

Men

Chad le Clos - 100m freestyle (46.45), 50m butterfly (22.57)

Cameron van der Burgh - 100m breaststroke (57.63)

Zane Waddell - 100m freestyle (47.54), 50m backstroke (23.55)

Ryan Coetzee - 50m butterfly - (22.99)

Brad Tandy - 50m butterfly - (23.12)

Ayrton Sweeney - 200m breaststroke (2:06.81)

Women

Tatjana Schoenmaker - 200m breaststroke - 2:18.93, 100m breaststroke (1:05.12)

Emily Visagie - 200m breaststroke - 2:23.03