Roland Schoeman’s dream of competing at five Olympics ended tamely on Saturday night as he ended third in the 50m freestyle‚ where he once ruled the planet.
The new king is Brad Tandy‚ 24‚ who won his maiden South African crown in 22.13sec‚ ahead of Douglas Erasmus and 35-year-old Schoeman‚ the world champion in 2005.
Tandy is one of six new faces among the 10 men who achieved Olympic qualifying times at this SA championship‚ which doubled as trials for the Rio Games in August.
Matric pupil Matthew Meyer was the last to book his place through an individual event‚ going 15min 09.58sec in the 1500m freestyle.
But for the first time since 2004‚ not a single woman qualified in an individual event. Even the 4x100m medley relay team will need some luck to get accepted once the qualifying window closes on May 31.
Cameron van der Burgh scooped his first treble crown of his career‚ adding the non-Olympic 50m breaststroke crown to the 100m and 200m titles he’d already won.
This week was the first time he’d won the long race in his career.
Chad Le Clos cleaned up in the 100m butterfly‚ winning in 51.82 and said his coach Graham Hill was happy.
“He said to me if you can go 51.8 all around — we joked about it before we swam the first race — said that would be good‚ so I’m happy about that.
“It would be nice to go a little quicker‚ but I could feel I didn’t have anything left‚” added Le Clos‚ who later anchored the anchor the 4x200m freestyle relay team in a successful bid to qualify.
Le Clos‚ Myles Brown‚ Sebastien Rousseau and Calvyn Justus went 7min 12.96sec‚ inside the targeted 7:13.70‚ an estimated time they believe will be good enough.
Le Clos‚ Van der Burgh and Rousseau are the veterans among the Rio-bound men.
Schoeman was disappointed he won’t join them.
“I would have loved to have gone to Rio‚ I would have loved to walk the opening ceremony‚ I would have loved to be flag-bearer for the country.”
Schoeman had struggled in the heats and the semifinals‚ and his 22.75 in the final was well outside of the 22.27 qualifying mark.
“I thought I could turn it around and bring it back — 22.2 really isn’t a fast time‚” said Schoeman‚ whose personal best is 21.67.
He said he was tired after the new training methods he was using in Alabama.
“New people to train with‚ new people to race … when you’re training on your own you have greater measure of control‚ when you feel tired you stop.
“But when you’re racing other guys in work-out ‚day in and day out‚ you’re pushing yourself beyond your measure‚ and that’s a good thing‚ but we’re definitely fatigued‚ definitely hurting.”
Schoeman said he planned to continue competing.
“I’ll swim till the end of the year irrespective. I want to travel‚ do the World Cups … I don’t want to call it quits after Olympic trials.”
Tandy found victory bittersweet. “As great as that is to do‚ it’s hard because I want him there with me in Rio. I really do.
“It’s something I never thought I’d get the opportunity to do. He’s been swimming for so many years I thought I even get close to his level he would have been retired but he’s still got the speed‚ he’s still got the power.
“I would have been happy with a tie.”
Tandy said he would need to take two-tenths of a second off his 21.87sec to be competitive in Rio.
Schoeman’s dream of 5th Olympics shattered
Roland Schoeman’s dream of competing at five Olympics ended tamely on Saturday night as he ended third in the 50m freestyle‚ where he once ruled the planet.
The new king is Brad Tandy‚ 24‚ who won his maiden South African crown in 22.13sec‚ ahead of Douglas Erasmus and 35-year-old Schoeman‚ the world champion in 2005.
Tandy is one of six new faces among the 10 men who achieved Olympic qualifying times at this SA championship‚ which doubled as trials for the Rio Games in August.
Matric pupil Matthew Meyer was the last to book his place through an individual event‚ going 15min 09.58sec in the 1500m freestyle.
But for the first time since 2004‚ not a single woman qualified in an individual event. Even the 4x100m medley relay team will need some luck to get accepted once the qualifying window closes on May 31.
Cameron van der Burgh scooped his first treble crown of his career‚ adding the non-Olympic 50m breaststroke crown to the 100m and 200m titles he’d already won.
This week was the first time he’d won the long race in his career.
Chad Le Clos cleaned up in the 100m butterfly‚ winning in 51.82 and said his coach Graham Hill was happy.
“He said to me if you can go 51.8 all around — we joked about it before we swam the first race — said that would be good‚ so I’m happy about that.
“It would be nice to go a little quicker‚ but I could feel I didn’t have anything left‚” added Le Clos‚ who later anchored the anchor the 4x200m freestyle relay team in a successful bid to qualify.
Le Clos‚ Myles Brown‚ Sebastien Rousseau and Calvyn Justus went 7min 12.96sec‚ inside the targeted 7:13.70‚ an estimated time they believe will be good enough.
Le Clos‚ Van der Burgh and Rousseau are the veterans among the Rio-bound men.
Schoeman was disappointed he won’t join them.
“I would have loved to have gone to Rio‚ I would have loved to walk the opening ceremony‚ I would have loved to be flag-bearer for the country.”
Schoeman had struggled in the heats and the semifinals‚ and his 22.75 in the final was well outside of the 22.27 qualifying mark.
“I thought I could turn it around and bring it back — 22.2 really isn’t a fast time‚” said Schoeman‚ whose personal best is 21.67.
He said he was tired after the new training methods he was using in Alabama.
“New people to train with‚ new people to race … when you’re training on your own you have greater measure of control‚ when you feel tired you stop.
“But when you’re racing other guys in work-out ‚day in and day out‚ you’re pushing yourself beyond your measure‚ and that’s a good thing‚ but we’re definitely fatigued‚ definitely hurting.”
Schoeman said he planned to continue competing.
“I’ll swim till the end of the year irrespective. I want to travel‚ do the World Cups … I don’t want to call it quits after Olympic trials.”
Tandy found victory bittersweet. “As great as that is to do‚ it’s hard because I want him there with me in Rio. I really do.
“It’s something I never thought I’d get the opportunity to do. He’s been swimming for so many years I thought I even get close to his level he would have been retired but he’s still got the speed‚ he’s still got the power.
“I would have been happy with a tie.”
Tandy said he would need to take two-tenths of a second off his 21.87sec to be competitive in Rio.
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