Christian Sadie came close to earning Team SA’s fifth medal of the World Para Swimming Championships on Thursday night in Madeira, Portugal, but had to settle for a fourth-place finish in the men’s S7 50m butterfly.
However, Sadie and Kat Swanepoel – who have won two medals apiece this week – set more personal bests and records as their golden form continued. Cornelle Leach, despite missing out on a place in her final, also established another African record.
Swanepoel continued her busy week with a seventh-place finish in the women’s S4 50m freestyle. However, it was yet another African record for the 34-year-old as she touched in 45.83sec, a full 1.12 faster than her qualifying time. That was her seventh record of the week.
Sadie, also a two-time medallist, narrowly missed out on a third when he finished fourth in the men’s S7 50m butterfly. He touched the wall in a career-best 30.15, which was only 0.54 behind bronze medallist Inaki Basiloff of Argentina. However, for Sadie it was another SA and African record as well.
In the morning heats, Leach narrowly missed out on a place in the women’s S12 100m freestyle final by 0.73 when she finished ninth, with the fastest eight qualifying for the final. However, there was some consolation as her 1:10.36 was a new African record.
By the end of the night, Team SA had taken their tally of new national records to 13, and 19 African records.
SOUTH AFRICAN/AFRICAN RECORDS BROKEN
Women’s S4 50m freestyle (African record only): Kat Swanepoel (45.83)
Women’s S4 50m backstroke (African record only): Kat Swanepoel (51.80)
Women’s SB3 50m breaststroke (x2): Kat Swanepoel (1:00.98 and 1:00.10)
Women’s S12 50m freestyle (x2): Cornelle Leach (31.36 and 30.62)
Women’s S4 100m freestyle (x2): Kat Swanepoel (1:43.50 and 1:40.37)
Women’s S12 100m freestyle (African record only): Cornelle Leach (1:10.36)
Women’s S13 100m freestyle (African record only): Alani Ferreira (1:07.71)
Women’s S13 100m butterfly (x2): Alani Ferreira (1:18.56 and 1:18.17)
Women’s SB12 100m breaststroke (African record only): Cornelle Leach (1:28.60)
Women’s S13 100m breaststroke: Alani Ferreira (1:22.18)
Women’s SM4 150m Individual Medley: Kat Swanepoel (3:04.04)
Men’s S7 50m butterfly: Christian Sadie (30.15)
Men’s SM7 200m Individual Medley: Christian Sadie (2:34.08)
Men’s SB7 100m breaststroke: Christian Sadie (1:20.87)
Men’s SB7 100m backstroke (African record only): Christian Sadie (1:15.84)
MEDALS WON
Silver
Men’s SB7 100m breaststroke: Christian Sadie (1:20.87)
Women’s SM4 150m breaststroke: Kat Swanepoel (3:04.04)
Bronze
Women’s S4 50m backstroke: Kat Swanepoel (51.80)
Women’s SB12 100m breaststroke: Cornelle Leach (1:28.60)
Source:TeamSA
