Jessica Thompson and Rebecca Meder Day 1 Winners at the SA National Swimming Champs

17-year-old Jessica Thompson won the women’s 100m backstroke title in one of the first day’s highlights at the SA National Swimming Championships, which got underway in Gqeberha on Wednesday, 9 April, 2025.

Thompson staved off a tough challenge from Milla Drakopoulos to win in a time of 1:01.68., with Drakopoulos finishing in second in 1:01.92.

Usually known for the individual medley, Rebecca Meder continued to build her credentials as a breaststroker. The New Zealand-based star made the most of the absence of the retired Tatjana Smith and the injured Lara van Niekerk to claim her first national 100m breaststroke title in the long course pool, winning in a time of 1:07.50.

Meder swam just one token event at last year’s SA National Championships after suffering a ruptured appendix a few weeks before the competition, so she’s also looking to reclaim several of the national titles she relinquished in other events.

“It was a little bit nerve-wracking because I haven’t raced here in a while and you don’t know what other people are capable of doing,” she said. 

“I always joke and say my appendix left my body and I became a breaststroker, so I’m really enjoying getting into the breaststroke events. It gives me something else to focus on apart from the medley.”

Debut Breaststroke 100m National Title Champion, Rebecca Meder

The women’s 200m freestyle final witnessed a massive battle between defending champion Aimee Canny, Duné Coetzee and Meder over the closing metres, and it was ultimately Coetzee who took the title in a time of 1:59.09 with Meder second in 1:59.38 and Canny third in 1:59.48.

Several Para-swimmers delivered standout performances, breaking senior national records in the morning heats and then surpassing those times again in the evening finals. Kat Swanepoel impressed with a new SB4 50m breaststroke record of 1:07.54, followed by another national mark of 1:53.91 in the S5 100m backstroke final. 

Alani Ferreira also starred, setting a new SB12 50m breaststroke record with a time of 38.76 seconds.

Swimming action continues at the Newton Park Swimming Pool on Thursday morning and concludes on Sunday.

Original Copy: Karien Jonckheere for Swimming South Africa, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: New Zealand-based Rebecca Meder claimed her first national 100m breaststroke title in the long course pool, winning in a time of 1:07.50 on Day 1 of the SA National Swimming Championships underway at the Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha, the Eastern Cape, on Wednesday, 9 April, 2025. All Photos: Roger Sedres

Photo 2 Caption: Kat Swanepoel impressed with a new SB4 50m breaststroke record, added to another national mark in the S5 100m backstroke.