Rising South African swimming star Chris Smith sprung a surprise on Michael Houlie in the 50m breaststroke semifinals at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest on Saturday night, beating his more experienced teammate to victory.
Houlie led for much of the race but was pipped to the win right at the death with 18-year-old Smith taking the victory in a massive personal best and new world junior record of 25.66 seconds. Houlie finished third in 25.69 seconds with both men making it through to Sunday night’s final.
The last time South Africa had two swimmers in the men’s 50m breaststroke final at this event was in 2016 when Cameron van der Burgh stormed to gold and Giulio Zorzi finished joint fifth.
Houlie had earlier won his heat in 25.77 seconds to secure his place in the semifinals as the fourth-fastest qualifier while Smith was fourth in his heat in 26.02 and joint 10th overall.
Speaking after the race, Smith revealed he had targeted the world junior record.
“I was in disbelief. First I saw what my place was and then I saw my time and I was so excited,” he said. “I was aiming for [the world junior record] and hoping I could do it but just glad I could actually do it.”
Houlie was thrilled to have reached his first world short course final, saying: “I’m excited. I feel like the best is yet to come and I’m just grateful.”
As for sharing the pool with his young teammate, the US-based former Youth Olympic champion added: “We spoke about it yesterday. I can’t remember the last time we had two [male] South African breaststrokers in a final. It was probably 2016 with Giulio and Cam and I feel like it’s very similar to that.
“He’s so young, he’s got so much potential and he’s such a great kid… anything is possible.”
Caitlin de Lange was the only other South African in action on Saturday night after booking a place in the women’s 50m freestyle semifinals with an African record of 24.14 seconds on her way to second place in her morning heat. She went slightly slower in the semifinal however, finishing eighth in 24.21 seconds.
In the women’s 50m breaststroke, Lara van Niekerk, who claimed silver at the last World Short Course Championships in Melbourne two years ago where she set the African record of 29.09, missed out on a semifinal place after finishing eighth in her heat and joint 23rd overall in 30.36 seconds.
Kian Keylock was 36th overall in the 400m individual medley after finishing in 4:23.22 while Kris Mihaylov finished 28th overall in the men’s 800m freestyle after finishing in a time of 7:53.06 – well off the SA record of 7:43.56 he set at the national championships in September.
The SA mixed 4x100m medley relay team of Ruard van Renen, Rebecca Meder, Chad le Clos and De Lange finished sixth in their heat in 3:37.71 to miss out on a place in the evening final.
The World Short Course Championships conclude on Sunday.