Melissa Corfe (Mr. Price Seagulls - KZN) continued her run of good form on Friday night at the Kwa - Zulu Natal swimming championships when she set her second National Age Group record of the meet.

The likeable Corfe (14) shaved, 51sec off Kim van Selms' 1994 mark when she posted a 9.03,32 in the girls 14-15 800m freestyle. In a tight race for top honors, Corfe out sprinted close rival Nicola Stanley (Westville - KZN) (9.05,78) in an exciting tussle. Upcountry visitor, Maretha van Wyk (Bloemfontien Seals - FS) (9.27,17) posted the third fastest time with Megan Ogilvie (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN) (9.34,91) taking the bronze medal.

With Corfe and Stanley both eligible to compete in this item in 2002, the KZN domestic record established by P. Butcher in 1979 of 8.53,60 certainly seems under threat and with it another national mark in the offering. Taking local swimming to new heights.

"I'm delighted with Melissa's progress," commented Mr. Price Seagulls coach, Graham Hill in a recent interview. "while she will be rested for the KZN champs, we still need about six months work and then we can expect something special."

While the KZN swimming championships is an "open" event, only three visitors are permitted to compete in the finals of an event, while the title is awarded to the highest local finisher.

Another up and coming junior Dustin Dale (Dolphins - KZN)(8.44,66) slashed a massive 4,09 sec off Byron Jeffers' national age group mark established in November 1998 in the boys 14-15 800m freestyle event. The gutsy Dale who is coached by National Youth Squad coach, Dean Price is fast emerging as one of South Africa's brightest distance prospects.

The title however went to Troyden Prinsloo (Kloof - KZN)(8.47,94) who also went under Jeffers' mark but both Dale and Prinsloo are way off the KZN domestic mark established by Simon Grey in 1975 of 8.34,50. The minor placing was filled by David Meyer(Kloof - KZN)(9.10,27) and Trisdon Peel(Kings Park - KZN) (9.11,47).

With the 50m sprint items accounting for 7 of the 9 records broken what was encouraging was the fact that 64 senior national qualifying times were posted.

The girls 12-13 400m freestyle relay saw the Pitermaritzburg Seals (4.20,58) combination of Cheryl Townsend, Candice Phippen, Alicia de Meyer and Yvonne Amm take 2,11sec off their 1995 teams' effort. Queensburgh Beavers (4.21,08) took silver, also within the old mark, with the Westville (4.26,50) combination coming in third.

The men's medley relay saw the Mr. Price Seagulls "A" (3.58,92) combination of Alain Tardin, Terence Parkin, Kenneth Smith and Anthony McKay shave ,08 sec off the mark established by Pitermaritzburg Seals in 1999. Kings Park (4.02,03) and Mr. Price Seagulls "B" (4.04,15) filled the minor placing.

The girls 11 and under 50m Butterfly saw the dynamic Bianca Meyer (Kings Park - KZN) (33,08) take ,58 sec off her provincial mark that she set at the recent TYR Westville sprints gala. Lauren Warwick - Oliver (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN)(34,22) came in second with Gabri Bombarderi (Dolphins - CGA)(34,40) posting the third fastest time. Bronze went to Kristy O'Brien (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN) (35,21).

The men's 50m-butterfly title went to Chris Sparks (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN) (26,45) whose time was ,32 faster than Glen Swarts' time set in December 2000. The race was won by Luke Wilkens (Bloemfontien Seals - FS )( 25,41) with his 16 year old teammate Kurt Muller (26,24) doing just enough to finish ahead of another Free Stater, Rudolph Oosthuizen ( Bloemfontien Dolphins - FS) (26,38).

Candice Crafford (Mr. Price seagulls - KZN) (29,21) shaved ,12 sec off her domestic 50m-butterfly mark that was set at the TYR Westville sprints gala during December. In a race, which was only decided in the death, Crafford won from teammate Lauren Sparg (29,47) and Kings Parks' Kirsten van Heerden (29,55).

Neil Versveld (Kings Park - KZN) (27,13) sliced , 23 sec off the 14-15 boys 50m butterfly record when he won convincingly from Paul Dias (Mr. Price Seagulls - KZN) (28,08) and David Tennant (Kloof - KZN) (28,63). The third fastest time went to Ruwald Lindeman (Bloemfontien Seals - KZN) (28,10).

The girls 14-15 50m butterfly saw an exciting tussle between Donna-Lee Horsfall (Kings Park - KZN) (29,54) and the diminutive dynamo from the Dean Price stable, Liza-Marie Retief (Dolphins - CGA) (29,80). Both girls went under Horsfalls' domestic mark of 30,31. Chloe Marangos (Kings Park) (30,47) and Kelly Swart (Westville - KZN) (30,86) filled the minor placing.

In the 11-12 year old events close finishes saw records set.

In the boys it was Paul bees (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN) ( 29,31) that smashed the existing mark of Rohan Jacobs (Mr. Price Seagulls - KZN) by nearly a second (,92 sec). Jacobs finished second in 29,53 while Ryan Fincham (Bluff - KZN) took bronze in 30,21 also under the old mark.

In the girls event Cheryl Townsend (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN)(30,87) sliced ,72 sec off her mark. Shelly Alcock (AQZNE-KZN)(31,37) and Tamryn Kelly (Westville - KZN) (32,30) filled the minor placing.

Terence Parkin (Mr. Price Seagulls)(4.00,38) continues to "rake in the titles" when he won the men's open 400m Freestyle in and exciting finish with George du Randt (Bloemfontien Seals - FS) (4.00,99). Parkin, the Olympic silver medallist in the 200m breastroke only returned to training a mere five weeks ago. Slightly over weight from his "post Olympic break", the determined Parkin has used this meet to let the swimming public know that he is back with a bang!

Teammate's Garreth Fowler (4.06,46) and Daryl Spires (4.11,88) filled the minor placing.

The ladies event saw the second dead heat of the meet when Kirsten van Heerden (Kings Park-KZN) and Mandy Loots (Dolphins - CGA) both recorded a 4.25,73. Robyn Bees (Pietermaritzburg Seals - KZN)(4.28,80) took the silver while Wendy Henstock (Kloof - KZN) 4.30,23) secured bronze.

While the flurry of new records that are being established in the sprint items is to be expected due to the recent introduction of these items to the Olympic calendar, what is extremely encouraging is the amount of junior swimmers that are achieving the senior national qualifying times. This is evidence that the guidelines that have been set by SSA to the respective provinces and coaches are being followed, with the swimmers receiving just reward.

With two days to go at this meet we will watch in anticipation. While the records are a bonus, the highlight of this meet has been the highly competitive nature that all events have been contested. In the few occasions that there has been a clear-cut winner, the battle for the minor placing has been exceptional.