Dakar 2026: Chanel Veldsman takes 200m breaststroke bronze for South Africa
Veldsman swam 2:30.87 at the Tour de l'Oeuf behind Japan's Mana Ishikawa. Algeria's Rahma Benmahammed and Tunisia's Ilef Omri were fifth and sixth in the same final.
SNA – Multisport · Author profile · · Updated 02/11/2026 22:27 UTC
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Chanel Veldsman was 0.87 seconds from the mark she wanted. The South African took 200m breaststroke bronze at the Tour de l'Oeuf on Monday in 2:30.87 and said as much afterwards. "I really wanted to try go under 2:30," she told the Olympic Information Service, "but I did what I did."
She turned second at 50m in 33.92 and third at 100m in 1:12.09, a place she held to the wall. Japan's Mana Ishikawa led throughout to win in 2:26.50, ahead of China's Mohan Chang in 2:27.21.
Used to the open air
Asked about racing outdoors, Veldsman said she trains outside and is used to it. "I just enjoy the open air," she said. The pool has been kind to the continent: on Sunday, Egypt's Zain Ali won gold there and Leah Markgraaff took 400m silver for South Africa. That makes two swimming medals in two nights for the South Africans.
Three Africans in one final
Veldsman had company on the blocks. Algeria's Rahma Benmahammed finished fifth in 2:44.23 and Tunisia's Ilef Omri sixth in 2:45.24. Two more Africans made Monday finals, Algeria's Salaheddine Torki in the 100m freestyle and Morocco's Mohamed Taj Eddine Larhlimi in the 200m breaststroke, both placing eighth.
Racing resumes on Tuesday with the 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke finals from 15:00 GMT. Results and schedule are on our Dakar 2026 page.