From Orin Gordon in London
Guyana’s 15-year-old swimmer Britany van Lange went out in the first round of the women’s 100M freestyle on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Swimming in heat 2 at the Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park, van Lange placed a creditable fourth.
Her time, 1.01.62s, was just outside her personal best of 1.01.39s.
At the halfway point of 50 metres, van Lange had clocked 29.41, meaning that she was on course for her first ever sub one-minute swim, and beating her PB.
In a brief conversation with Stabroek News, Guyana’s chef-de-mission Dr. Karen Pilgrim put her performance in context.
“She did not achieve her personal best. She’s disappointed with that, and at not progressing further, but she could be pleased with her fourth place finish, and swimming so close to her PB,” Dr. Pilgrim said. Jade Howard of Zambia won van Lange’s heat in a relatively slow time of 59.35, six seconds off world record pace and not fast enough to get her into the last 16. Chinese Yi Tang swam the fastest heat, 53.28.
Caribbean interest centered on Arianna Vanderpool Wallace who won her heat and made it to the last 16, but she did not progress to the final, which was won by Aliaksandra Herasimenia.
Van Lange joins the other swimmer on the team Niall Roberts, in suffering first round disappointment. They both return home in a few days.
Heats 2
1. Jade Ashleigh Howard
(Zambia) 59.35
2. Baean Jouma (Syria)
59.78
3. Karen Riveros
(Paraguay) 59.86
4. Britany Van Lange
(Guyana) 1:01.62
5. Estellah Fils Rabetsara
(Madagascar) 1:02.39
6. Reshika Amali
Udugampola (Sri Lanka)
1:04.93
7. Magdalena Moshi
(Tanzania) 1:05.80
