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There are over 250
athletes representing 19 countries at the 2010 Senior African Swimming
Championships holding in Morocco. But after the first day of
competitions, the South African team is head and shoulders above the
rest. Team South Africa snagged 11 medals and set four tournament
records at the end of day one.

Karin Prinsloo
began the medals haul for South Africa in the Monday morning heats when
she broke Lauren Roets’ six-year-old record in the 100m freestyle with
a time of 56:48s. She then took 800th of a second off that morning
record in the evening finals clocking 56:40s. Compatriot, Leone Vorster
took the silver medal in 57:50s.

In the men’s 100m
breaststroke event, William Diering, who posted the fastest time in the
morning heats, finished second in 1:03:13s in a hard fought race with
Algeria’s Nabil Kebbab. Nabil has a South African connection as he is
being coached by former South African coach Karoly Torros, who
currently heads Algeria’s swimming.

The South African
show continued when Kathryn Meaklim finished the 400m individual medley
and set a new Championships Record time of 4:45:76s, improving on her
previous morning heat record of 4:53:72s. Bianca Meyer claimed bronze
in 4:52.69.

There was another
gold and silver haul for South Africa in the women’s 50m backstroke.
Chanelle van Wyk set a new Championship Record clocking 29:31s while
Jessica Ashley-Cooper claimed silver in 29:90s.

In the men’s 50m
backstroke, youngster Darren Murray swam his way to the top of the
podium in a time of 26.56, with Garth Tune coming in a close second in
27.03.

The women’s 4 x
200m freestyle relay promised to be an exciting final, following
Tunisia and Algeria’s quick times earlier in the day. The race lived up
to the expectations as the crowd rose to their feet in a nail-biting
final sprint which saw Team South Africa break the 2006 Championship
Record in 8:27.61, with Tunisia and Algeria completing the remaining
medal placings.

Medal rankings
after day 1 Wednesday’s event Day 3 15 September 2010 15 400m Freestyle
Women 16 100m Freestyle Men 17 100m Backstroke Women 18 200m Backstroke
Men 19 50m Backstroke Women 20 50m Butterfly Men 21 4X100m Free Relay
Women 22 4X200m Free Relay Men