Neil Versfeld

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.

Neil Versfeld
Personal information
Full nameNeil Robert Versfeld
National team South Africa
Born (1985-03-29) 29 March 1985
Durban, South Africa
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
ClubSeals Swimming Club
College teamUniversity of Georgia (U.S.)
CoachJack Bauerle (U.S.)

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

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 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  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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