South African swimmers had set eight Africa records and one world junior record heading into the final day at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m short-course) in Budapest. Rebecca Meder had set four new individual Africa marks, while the mixed medley team had earned two and Stephanie Houtman and Caitlin de Lange one. In addition, Chris Smith blazed his way to a world junior record in the men’s 50m breaststroke where he went into Sunday’s final as the third fastest. There, he finished eighth, with Michael Houlie seventh.
On Saturday Smith (pictured) won his semi-final in 25.66, breaking the previous world junior record by almost two tenths of a second. He also swam the 100m breaststroke earlier in the championships, placing 14th in the sem-ifinal.
The previous record belonged to Simone Cerasuoulotaly, which he set in 2021 at 25.85. Interestingly, Cerasuolo also qualified for the final, placing 8th at 25.81, faster than his WJR, but he is not eligible for junior records anymore.
South Africa didn't win a medal at the championships, having earned five at the last such championships in Melbourne in 2022.
Another African record fell to South Africa’s women’s 4x100m medley relay squad.
SUNDAY’S ROUNDUP
Men’s 200m freestyle (heats): Kris Mihaylov finished ninth in his heat in 1:47.00, which placed him 44th overall and he missed out on a place in the finals
Women’s 200m backstroke (heats): Hannah Pearse finished eighth in her heat in 2:08.4, which placed her 24th overall and she missed out on a place in the final
Women’s 4x100m medley relay (heats) AFRICA RECORD! Team SA (Milla Drakopoulus, Lara van Niekerk, Rebecca Meder and Jessica Thompson) placed sixth in their heat and broke the Africa record with a time of 3:57.68. It left them 14th overall and missing out on a place in the final
Men’s 4x100m medley relay (heats): Team SA (Kian Keylock, Matthew Randle, Ruard van Renen and Kris Mikhaylov) finished 6th in their heat in 3:34.72 and were unable to qualify for the final
Men’s 50m breaststroke (final): Michael Houlie finished 7th in 25.73 and Chris Smith finished eighth in 25.77
WORLD JUNIOR RECORDS
Chris Smith (men’s 50m breaststroke) 25.66
AFRICA RECORDS
Rebecca Meder (women’s 100m medley, heats) 58.55
Rebecca Meder (women’s 100m medley, semi-finals) 57.69
Rebecca Meder (women’s 200m medley, semi-finals) 58.55
Rebecca Meder (women’s 200m medley, final) 2:05.61
Caitlin de Lange (women’s 50m freestyle) 24.14
Stephanie Houtman (women’s 1500m freestyle, heats) 16:09.12
Mixed 4x50m medley: Team SA (Jessica Thompson, Michael Houlie, Caitlin de Lange and Kris Mihaylov) 1:41.32
Mixed 4x100m medley: Team SA (Ruard van Renen, Rebecca Meder, Chad le Clos and Caitlin de Lange)
Women’s 4x100m medley: Team SA (Milla Drakopoulus, Lara van Niekerk, Rebecca Meder and Jessica Thompson)
SOUTH AFRICAN RECORDS
Rebecca Meder (women’s 200m medley, heats) 2:06.15
Rebecca Meder (women’s 200m medley, final) 2:05.61
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