Neil Versfeld

{{Short description|South African swimmer (born 1985)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Neil Versfeld

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Neil Robert Versfeld

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{RSA}}

| strokes = Breaststroke

| club = Seals Swimming Club

| coach = Jack Bauerle (U.S.)

| collegeteam = University of Georgia (U.S.)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|3|29|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Durban, South Africa

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|m=1.78|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|76|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates=

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Neil Robert Versfeld (born March 29, 1985) is a South African swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events.{{cite sports-reference|title = Neil Versfeld|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ve/neil-versfeld-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418052723/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ve/neil-versfeld-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 29 December 2012}} 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.

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.{{cite web |url= http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/08-09-season-review.html |title= UGA Swim and Dive Team 2007-2008 Season Review |publisher= UGA Athletics Department |accessdate= 2014-03-23 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140324032431/http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/08-09-season-review.html |archive-date= 2014-03-24 |url-status= dead }}

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).{{cite news|title=South African Championships: Women Down Two African Records|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/south-african-championships-women-down-two-african-records/|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=3 April 2008|accessdate=7 April 2013}} 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.{{cite news|last=Lohn|first=John|title=Olympics, Swimming: Olympic Record Tumbles Twice, Daniel Gyurta Paces Qualifying in 200 Breast|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18785.asp|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=12 August 2008|accessdate=7 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608175734/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18785.asp|archivedate=8 June 2013}}{{cite web|title=Swimming: Men's 200m Breaststroke Semifinal 2|url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWM032200/index.html|work=Beijing 2008|publisher=NBC Olympics|accessdate=29 December 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821062423/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWM032200/index.html|archivedate=21 August 2012}}

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.{{cite news|title=Quiet day for SA swimmers in Rome|url=http://www.iol.co.za/sport/more-sport/quiet-day-for-sa-swimmers-in-rome-1.604701#.UN8KQG9lnXs|publisher=Independent Online|location=South Africa|date=30 July 2009|accessdate=29 December 2012}}{{cite web|title=2009 FINA World Championships (Rome, Italy) – Men's 200m Breaststroke Semifinals|url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=0001090B0040000000FFFFFFFFFFFF01|format=PDF|publisher=Omega Timing|accessdate=11 February 2013}}