F-Teamers Star at South African Trials

South African F-Teamers Lara van Niekerk and Emily Visagie competed at the recent South African National Swimming Championships. Both swam quick times in a hot field breaststroke field. Here's a quick wrap:

Lara van Niekerk
Event: 100m breaststroke
Place: 2
Time: 1:06.74
National Record: 1:04.82
World Record: 1:04.13

Event: 50m breaststroke
Place: 1
Time: 29.78
National Record: 29.72
World Record: 29.30

In the 100m breaststroke, Lara was happy with her performance, but wasn't fully rested as the Mare Nostrum was her main focus. In the 50m breaststroke, Lara's time of 00:29.78, was only 0.05 seconds off her African record. She was very happy with this time and felt that she was on track for the upcoming competitions. Lara wasn't tapered for the meet, but had a few rest days as she was preparing to go overseas. Despite getting tick fever towards the end of the meet and feeling tired throughout the week, she still performed well and almost broke her own African record. Lara will be heading to Europe to compete in the Mare Nostrum, AP race gala, and then onto World Champs in Japan!

Emily Visagie
Event: 50m breaststroke
Place: 8
Time: 32.98

Event: 100m breaststroke
Place: 4
Time: 1:10.64

Event: 200m breaststroke
Place: 3
Time: 2:33.26

Emily  was extremely happy with her racing at Nationals. Her 100m breaststroke was a PB, her 200m breaststroke was her best time for the season and in the 50m breaststroke her time was her third-fastest-ever. Emily was rested for the meet and achieved the goals she had set out to for the biggest event of the season.

We look forward to hearing more from our South Africa F-Teamers and watching South African Sportswoman of the Year, Lara, get set to race the World again when she arrives in Fukuoka in July.