Gallagher wins SA’s second medal at the World Student Games

Tuks' Erin Gallagher won South Africa's second medal at the World Student Games in Chengdu, China, with a second-place finish in the women's 50m-butterfly.

Gallagher has twice improved the South African record. In the heats, she won swimming 25.71s. She was even faster in the final swimming 25.66s. China's Yufei Zhang won in a time of 25.20s. Italy's Viola di Scotto won bronze in swimming 26.01s.

Gallagher's heroics prove there is no substitute for hard work and dedication. She makes no secret that what motivates her is constantly pushing herself to be faster today than she was yesterday. It is why she swims for hours most days.

This year she focused on becoming stronger in the water and minor technical aspects to improve her kick."

Gallagher is making a habit of medalling in the 50m-butterfly. Last year during the Birmingham Commonwealth, she also won silver.

Kaylene Corbett (Tuks), another Commonwealth Games medallist, assured that she will contest tomorrow's 100m-breaststroke final by winning her heat in 1:08.77. It was the second fastest in the semifinals.

The Tuks swimmer could have had a better start, but she made up for it with a good stroke technique.

Hannah Pearse (Tuks) finished sixth in the 200m-backstroke final. Her time was 2:12.37. China's Liu Yaxin won in 2:08.18.

The still elated Christiaan de Klerk (Tuks), who won South Africa's first medal at the World Student Games with his second-place finish in the men's compound archery competition, ascribed his breakthrough to doing the small things right.

"I am a firm believer in marginal gains. That is why I have a specific goal every time I train. I will keep on it until I have mastered what I have set out to do. The positive spinoff of doing this is that because I am so focused all the time during training, it enables me to pick other small things in my technique that I need to improve.