A changing of the guard will be keenly felt at the SA Senior National Swimming Championships in Gqeberha starting on Wednesday, as the start sheets reveal the notable absence of icons Tatjana Smith and Chad le Clos.
Smith retired from the sport after winning gold and silver at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and 2012 Olympic champion Le Clos is recovering an injury. It’ll be the first time in 20 years Le Clos will not be competing, though he will be encouraging swimmers from the pool deck.
There will still be plenty of great swimming on the cards, though, as the current crop of athletes target qualification for the World Championships in Singapore from July 27 to August 3.
Among them is Olympic finalist Pieter Coetzé, who has had to adapt to balancing swimming with his first-year psychology studies at the University of Pretoria.
“This year has been very interesting. I started studying, so it’s pretty new to me, having to manage my time a bit more outside the pool,” the 20-year-old said.
“But I’ve kept up my training and the standard’s quite high, so I’m in good shape and I’m excited about qualifying for a few events for the World Championships.”
He is looking to qualify for the global event in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke and the 50m and 100m freestyle.
Coetzé is likely to face stiff competition from US-based backstroker Ruard van Renen, who reached the final of the 100m backstroke at the 2024 World Short Course Championships, his first major international competition.
He is coached by former SA swimmer Neil Versfeld at the University of Georgia.
Another swimmer to watch for this week is Rebecca Meder.
A year ago, the New Zealand-based swimmer suffered a ruptured appendix just a few weeks before the national championships, so things are likely to look different this time around.
“I have been doing lots of racing in New Zealand in preparation for [the] nationals and my times have been looking really strong and pretty solid in training, which has been quite positive,” Meder said.
She will be competing in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle in Gqeberha.
Meder will not have things all her way in the 200m breaststroke, with two-time Olympic finalist Kaylene Corbett still in the mix and hunting for a national title.
Double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lara van Niekerk has chosen to forgo the championships, however, to focus on training after a long injury layoff.
The men’s breaststroke events are likely to provide a fascinating matchup between fellow World Short Course Championships finalists Michael Houlie and Chris Smith.
Houlie is targeting a final World University Games appearance in 2025 and the World Championships.
Matthew Sates will also be out to impress after a training stint in Switzerland with Olympic bronze medallist Noè Ponti.
It will be a busy week for the Pietermaritzburg swimmer, who has entered 10 events.
His fellow Olympian, Erin Gallagher, is entered into five events and is sure to dominate the butterfly sprints, while Aimee Canny will look to defend her 100m and 200m freestyle titles.
The SA Senior National Swimming Championships take place at the Newton Park Swimming Pool from Wednesday and finishes on Sunday.
Swimming SA
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.