Neil Versfeld

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Neil Versfeld
Personal information
Full nameNeil Robert Versfeld
National teamFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Born (1985-03-29) 29 March 1985 (age 39)
Durban, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
ClubSeals Swimming Club
College team University of Georgia (U.S.)
Coach Jack Bauerle (U.S.)

Neil Robert Versfeld (born March 29, 1985) is a South African swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events. [1] He finished ninth with a superb South African record in the men's 200 m breaststroke at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and has claimed multiple South African championship titles in the 50, 100, and 200 m breaststroke.

Contents

Versfield swam collegiately for the Georgia Bulldogs at the University of Georgia (UGA). As a UGA senior in 2009, he won an individual national championship in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships by swimming the fastest time in the history of the event (1:51.40). At UGA, Versfeld was a seven-time All-American and graduated as the team record-holder in the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard medley relay. [2]

Versfeld competed for the South African swimming team in the men's 200 m breaststroke at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He finished second behind William Diering with a 2:12.33 at the South African Championships four months earlier in Johannesburg to assure his selection to the Olympic team under FINA A-standard (2:13.70). [3] Having entered the semifinals with the ninth-seeded time (2:10.50), Versfeld rebounded from his immediate defeat in the prelims to subdue a new African record in 2:10.06, but narrowly missed the top eight final by just 0.09 of a second. His ninth-place time also slashed 0.15 seconds off the continental mark, set by Diering in the initial half of the semifinal round. [4] [5]

At the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy, Versfeld dipped under a 2:10 barrier to lower his South African record time to 2:09.61 in the semifinals of the 200 m breaststroke. [6] [7]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Neil Versfeld". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "UGA Swim and Dive Team 2007-2008 Season Review". UGA Athletics Department. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "South African Championships: Women Down Two African Records". Swimming World Magazine. 3 April 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Lohn, John (12 August 2008). "Olympics, Swimming: Olympic Record Tumbles Twice, Daniel Gyurta Paces Qualifying in 200 Breast". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Swimming: Men's 200m Breaststroke Semifinal 2". Beijing 2008 . NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Quiet day for SA swimmers in Rome". South Africa: Independent Online. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "2009 FINA World Championships (Rome, Italy) – Men's 200m Breaststroke Semifinals" (PDF). Omega Timing. Retrieved 11 February 2013.


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