South African Champs Day 2 Prelims: Sates Drops 1:47.0 200 Free

2022 SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (RSA)

• Wednesday, April 6th – Monday, April 11th
• Newton Park Swimming Pool, Gqeberha, South Africa
• LCM (50m)
• World Championships/Commonwealth Games Qualifier
• Psychs
• Live results on Meet Mobile: “SA National Aquatic SNR-JNR Champ 2022-PE”
• Livestream

The second morning of the South African nationals included an abbreviated schedule, with prelim races in the men 200 free and 100 breast and women’s 50 free and 100 back.

The highlight of the morning came in the 200 free, where last night’s 400 free champion, Matt Sates, put up a dominant performance to claim the top seed in 1:47.09. Despite being 9 tenths off of his seed, the swim qualified him as the top seed by over 4 seconds and now ranks him 10th in the world this year. If his performances in the 400 yesterday is any indication, where he dropped 5 seconds between prelims and finals, he may have much more left in the tank for tonight’s final.

University of Tennessee undergrad Michael Houlie took the top seed in the men’s 100 breast, touching in 1:01.89, the top seed by over a half second. That swim is well off of the Olympians’ lifetime best and seed of 59.75.

On the women’s side, Emma Chelius took the top seed in the 50 free in 25.26, the top time in the field by nearly a half second. Chelius was a member of South Africa’s Olympic team last summer in the 50 free after setting the South African record with a 24.64. In the women’s 100 back, Olivia Nel took the top seed with a 1:03.62, well off of her seed of 1:00.87.