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Paris 2024, Africa Recap: Day 7 – Rebecca Meder Sets Record 4 Months After Ruptured Appendix

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

While not having the success and name recognition that compatriot Tatjana Smith has in the swimming world, there have been a few other female South African swimmers that are either inspired by Smith or part of the growth of female swimming across the world. We’ve mentioned Kaylene Corbett and Erin Gallagher already, but today’s focus is on Rebecca Meder.

The 22-year-old Cape Town native set the South African record in the 200 IM at the 2023 World Championships, recording a mark of 2:10.95, but a year later, she brought it down even further, slicing .28 of a second off it, posting a time of 2:10.67 this evening. A remarkable feat given that just three weeks before the South African National Championships, Meder had undergone an emergency appendectomy, and while she did compete, she was limited to just the 50 back in fear of breaking her stitches should she dive or do a flipturn.

The 16th qualifier into the semifinals, Meder, who was 2:11.96 in prelims, got out to a fast start in the first semifinal as she posted a split of 27.45, which was 3rd fastest in the field of eight. After slipping to 7th after the breaststroke, the South African surged back with a 30.79 to claim 5th in the heat in a time of 2:10.67

While the second semifinal was much faster, resulting in Meder finishing in 11th, the time and place in itself was a huge achievement. It was her first semifinal appearance at the Olympics, having placed 23rd in 2021. In looking at her splits from this swim and her previous records, one can see that Meder slowed a little in the middle 50s, but it would pay dividends in the last 50 as her freestyle split was over half a second faster than in the previous record.

2024 Olympics Semis 2023 Worlds prelims 2023 South African Champs
50 butterfly 27.45 27.90 27.64
50 backstroke 34.05 33.91 33.32
50 breaststroke 38.38 37.74 38.53
50 freestyle 30.79 31.40 31.90
200 IM total 2:10.67 2:10.95 2:11.39

Other Continental News

  • D3 NCAA Champion Jesse Ssengonziwho swam for the University of Chicago, broke his own national record in the 100 fly, setting a new mark of 53.76, getting under the 54.00 barrier for the first time. Read more about that swim here.
  • Chad le Clos and Matt Sates both failed to advance to the semifinals of the 100 fly. Le Clos, a four-time Olympic medalist, entered Paris with an arm injury but has mentioned swimming through the 2028 Games in L.A.

 

Continental/National Records

  • Benin
    • M. 100 Back: Alexis Kpadi – 57.61
  • Burundi
    • M. 50 Free: Belly-Cresus Ganira – 23.80
  • Djibouti
    • M. 50 Free: Houmed Barkat – 26.00
  • Guinea
    • M. 50 Free: Elhadj N’gnane Diallo – 26.45
  • Guinea-Bissau
    • M. 50 Free: Pedro Rogery – 28.34
  • Rwanda
    • M. 100 Fly: Oscar Cyusa Peyre Mitilla – 58.77
  • South Africa
  • Sudan
    • W. 100 Free: Rana Saadeldin – 1:04.72
  • Uganda
    • W. 100 Free: Gloria Muzito – 55.95
    • M. 100 Fly: Jesse Ssuubi Ssengonzi – 53.76

Medal Summary

Gold Silver Bronze Total
South Africa 1 1 0 2

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JackMeowMeow
3 months ago

Do you have a source for the national records of the various African countries? I’m trying to keep the Wiki pages updated but it’s veery difficult to find good references. Thanks a lot

Mark Wild
Reply to  JackMeowMeow
3 months ago

To be honest I use the Wiki pages as a start. If the time performed is faster than is showing, I’ll look at the athlete’s World Aquatics page to see if its their PB and then a combination of the Federations webpage and socials media and often the athletes social pages as well

JackMeowMeow
Reply to  Mark Wild
3 months ago

Thank you! I hope that more federations from Africa and Asia will make clear their records! It is a small step, but it is important for young athletes to seek that types of results! It could be a great motivation for them

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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