Image: SUPPLIED
Seventeen-year-old Minke Janse van Rensburg grabbed her fifth senior world swimming record on Friday morning, beating the Down syndrome short-course mark in the women’s 200m freestyle.
Cheered on by fellow swimmers, coaches, officials and family at the SA championships in Pietermaritzburg, she swam alone in a time trial, torpedoing across the pool in 2 min 56.97 sec to easily dip under the old 3:00.60 mark.
The 17-year-old said afterwards she was lifted by the crowd, who inspired her to hammer the final 50 metres in 43.67 sec, having clocked 48.03 on the previous 50m and 46.91 on the second. She went out in 38.36.
George-based Van Rensburg also holds the short-course world records for the 25m and 50m freestyle as well as the 50m and 100m freestyle long-course records, all of which are open, meaning they cover all age categories.
Senior covers ages 17 to 39.
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