The good news is that at least one new face joined South Africa’s world championship qualifiers at the national trials in Gqeberha yesterday in the form of breaststroke sprinter Chris Smith.
He achieved the feat in the 50m race as he finished second behind veteran Michael Houlie, but he was still inside the 27.33sec standard that guaranteed both of them spots at the global showpiece in Singapore later this year.
The bad news, however, was that by the end of last night’s session, the total number of qualifiers was only six. By the time the gala ends tonight, they may not have even matched the eight who qualified for the Paris Olympics — bear in mind that almost all the qualifying standards for the 2024 Games were quicker than the marks for Singapore 2025.
In fact, on the times swum so far this week, only Pieter Coetzé and Rebecca Meder have been inside the Paris Olympic standards.
Coetzé captured his fourth title of the gala last night, taking the 50m freestyle in 22.45. That was slower than the 22.05 he went in the morning heats to secure his third world championship event, along with the 50m and 200m backstroke.
The only race in which Coetzé has failed to deliver a world championship qualifier was the 100m freestyle on Friday. His 48.63 — identical to Ryk Neethling’s effort while finishing fourth in the 100m freestyle final at the 2004 Olympics — lifted him to seventh on the all-time national rankings, but it was the fastest time in South African waters, eclipsing the 48.74 Gideon Louw achieved in Durban in 2012.
Coetzé should pick up crown No 5 in the 200m backstroke tonight. He has intimated that he might change his focus for Los Angeles 2028 with the 50m sprints in breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly being added to the Olympic roster this week.
This addition sees Smith and Houlie giving the South African squad extra bulk.
For now Coetzé and Meder have been the stand-out performers and there’s hope that Lara van Niekerk can return to her best.
In other action last night, Matthew Sates captured his fifth title of the championships by winning the 100m butterfly while Erin Gallagher edged Meder to take the women’s 100m butterfly.
Caitlin de Lange claimed the women’s 50m freestyle in 25.02sec with Olivia Nel and Gallagher sharing second spot on 25.31.
Dune Coetzee won the women’s 800m freestyle, Matthew Caldwell the men’s 800m freestyle and Simone Moll the women’s 50m breaststroke.
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