South African Myles Brown experienced a great deal of success over the last couple of weeks in Europe. In the 400 freestyle Brown finished sixth at the World Championships, took third at the World Cup in Berlin and captured the silver at the World Cup in Eindhoven. In Eindhoven he posted a time of 3:37.91, which ranks him third in the world behind American Tyler Clary and Yannick Agnel of France.
Upon his return home from Europe Brown competed in the South African Short Course Swimming Championships in Pietermaritzburg, which ran from August 15th to 18th. On the first night of competition Brown captured the men’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:45.65, nearly four seconds ahead of his closest competitor.
Olympian Suzaan van Biljon swept the breaststroke events, winning the 50 (31.97) and the 200 (2:29.84) on the second day of the competition and went on to grab the 100 (1:08.52) on the final night. van Biljon, who won the 200 breaststroke at the 2008 World Short Course Championships currently holds the South African short course records in both the 100 (1:05.36) and 200 (2:18.73).
van Biljon won her first national title in 2008 at the age of 14 and even though she is no where near the times she posted as a teenager she is not ready to stop racing as long as she can win on home soil, “While I am still winning here at home I will continue racing,” said van Biljon.
Rene Warnes came away with victories in some of the championships’ toughest events. Warnes won both the women’s 200 butterfly (2:13.30) and 400 IM on the first evening and added the 100 butterfly (1:01.77), 200 IM (2:15.52) and the 200 freestyle (2:02.19) on the final night of competition.
“I want to concentrate on the 200 butterfly and 400 IM this season and see if I can be more competitive internationally,” said Warnes.
One of the most exciting aspects of the competition for the South African’s was the performance of their young swimmers. Two of those youngsters showed their promise in the 800 freestyle. 13 year old Tasmin Tennant finished second in the women’s event posting in a time of 9:08.01 while 16 year old Tristan Doyle won the men’s event in a time of 8:20.81.
Doyle also won the 1500 freestyle in a time of 15:56.41.
14 year old Erin Gallagher also recorded an encouraging result in the women’s 100 freestyle finishing second in a time of 56.89.