Swimming action under way in Paris – SA’s Gallagher reaches first semi-final

Erin Gallagher was the only South African in action on the first day of the swimming programme at the Olympic Games in Paris on Saturday.

The 25-year-old finished sixth in her 100m butterfly heat in the morning in a time of 57.80 seconds – quick enough to book her a place in her first ever Olympic semi-final.

Gallagher competed in both the 100m freestyle and butterfly at the last Olympics in Tokyo but didn’t make it past the heats.

Speaking after booking her semi-final place in Paris, Gallagher reckoned: “I don’t remember being nervous. I think I’ve prepared so much, there’s nothing more I could have done in my preparation so I’m very relaxed. I obviously swam a bit slower, but I think that’s normal for a morning swim. I just didn’t feel like I was racing at the Olympics. It was weird.”

Returning in the evening for her semifinal, the Pretoria-based swimmer finished seventh in a time of 57.90 seconds, well off the African record time of 57.32 she set at the SA Championships in Gqeberha earlier this year.

“That was really tough,” said a devastated Gallagher afterwards. “I know I’m more capable than what I just swam and there are always going to be lessons learned. It would just be nice if I didn’t have to learn them at the Olympics.

“But it’s better than what I did in Tokyo. I did everything that I possibly could and that’s what I had tonight.

“It just felt like it’s over so quickly. You don’t really have much time to think. It’s a big privilege to be here, but it’s tough,” added the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist.

Swimming South Africa