Kian produces a stroke of class at SA Short Course

In-form Boksburg Aquatic Saints member Kian Keylock produced a swimming gem during the 200m breaststroke to finish second behind Team South Africa swimmer Ayrton Sweeney during the South African National Short Course gala in Pietermaritzburg between October 24 and 27.

Keylock, who is a student of St Dominic’s aquatic team head Wade Marshall, again demonstrated his strengths in the discipline, winning his second medal in the form of a bronze in the 100m breaststroke. There was nothing in it with the winner, Brenden Crawford, and the runner-up, Jordan Royle, both clocking 1:00.54 and 1:00.82 respectively. Keylock finished in 1:00.96.

The CBC Boksburg learner, who turned 15 in June, swam in a total of seven events, including the 100, 200 and 400m individual medley, the 200m freestyle and the 50m breaststroke. He set personal best (PB) times in all of his races.

He was the youngest in all of his races.

Swimmers swam heats before the actual race of every discipline to determine whether they qualify for the A final which included the top eight swimmers in the respective disciplines, or the B final which included the second lot of eight places (number nine to 16 finishers). Keylock made the A final in six of his seven events.

“I was very happy with my results,” he said.

“I went into the gala with nothing to lose and was not worried about anyone – it was the senior guys who had to worry about me,” he explained, before talking about his favourite race at the three-day meeting.

“I was very happy with my 200m breaststroke performance. I finished second to Ayrton Sweeney who is a top swimmer and I wasn’t far away from him, which put me in the spotlight with the other swimmers and coaches watching.”

Sweeney won gold with a time of 2:10.35 – Keylock put up 2:12.43.

Keylock’s full results:

Breaststroke

50m – eighth (29.15 – PB)
100m – bronze (1:00.96 – PB)
200m – silver (2:12.43 – PB)

Freestyle

200m – 19th (1:54.70 – PB)

Individual medley

100m – eighth (58.98 – PB)
200m – fifth (2:02.70 – PB)
400m – sixth (4:28.32 – PB – shaved off 14 seconds from his previous PB)

Also Read: Keylock qualifies for SA Short Course

Also Read: Kian Keylock unlocks another swimming record