South Africa's Townsend lights up the pool in Finland

JYVASKYLA, Finland -- South African Darian Townsend put on a show at the Finnish Open Grand Prix for UNICEF over the weekend. The meet took place over short course meters.

Townsend captured the 100m free title in 47.34 seconds to open the two-day competition. Ari-Pekka Lukkonen (48.08) and Severi Allonen (48.59) finished second and third, respectively, in the event.

Next, Townsend cleared the South African record in the 200m free with a winning time of 1:42.01. The swim beat Ryk Neethling's national mark of 1:42.75 set back in 2005. Allonen (1:45.78) and Antti Viilos (1:52.56) rounded out the top three.

Townsend just missed his national record in the 200m IM with a top time of 1:52.89. His lifetime best is a 1:52.51 from 2008, which stands as the South African mark. Sami Juopperi (2:02.79) and Tommi Tormanen (2:05.29) placed second and third.

In the sprint medley 100m IM, Townsend clocked a swift 51.96 - just off Neethling's national record of 51.52 from 2005. Ossi Oksa (57.38) and Tormanen (57.85) took second and third.