South African swimming spent much of the past decade searching for its next wave of global contenders. In 2025, the tide finally turned. A blend of breakout youngsters and resurgent established names produced the most promising season since the eras of Chad le Clos and Tatjana Smith.
From Pieter Coetzé’s surge onto the world stage to Kaylene Corbett’s first international medal and Rebecca Meder’s World Cup consistency, the sport’s talent pipeline flowed strongly again.
Coetzé announces himself as SA’s next male superstar
For years, Coetzé has been earmarked as South Africa’s next major men’s swimmer. In 2025, he delivered on that promise. The twenty-one-year-old backstroke specialist produced a breakthrough season of world-class times, calm race execution and a new mental edge.
At the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, the Tuks student delivered the statement swim of his career, winning gold in the 100m backstroke. He added silver in the 200m backstroke and bronze in the 50m backstroke, completing a three-medal haul that lifted South Africa to eleventh on the overall medals table and made him SA’s Male Swimmer of the Year.
With these results, Coetzé equalled former Olympic champion Roland Schoeman’s three-medal tally from 2005. Each race also brought major personal bests and continental records.
“It’s amazing. It’s something I always dreamed of,” Coetzé said.
“I can see myself making strides towards being the swimmer I always knew I could be, so it’s nice to see that I’m improving and getting there slowly. But I’ve always believed it, and a part of me had always known, so now to see it in front of me is amazing. I’m very proud and blessed.”
His emergence now positions him as a leading medal contender heading into the 2026 season.
Corbett kicks on as Thomson signals a new wave
On the women’s side, Kaylene Corbett collected Female Swimmer of the Year honours after winning her first major international medal – a breakthrough bronze in the 200m breaststroke in Singapore. The two-time Olympic finalist finally found the podium finish her steady progression has hinted at for years.
Teenager Jessica Thomson also produced a breakout season. The 18-year old dominated the SA Short Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg, sweeping five gold medals. She shattered the national 50m backstroke record, added golds in the 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke, and confirmed her status as one of the country’s most versatile emerging swimmers.
The meet also delivered another impressive comeback from Chad le Clos, who won four golds – including a surprise victory in the 50m backstroke – extending his remarkable late-career revival.
Meder proves her class on the World Cup stage
While Thomson owned the domestic stage, Rebecca Meder ensured South Africa remained competitive internationally. The 22-year old collected multiple bronze medals on the World Cup circuit and displayed consistency against some of the world’s most accomplished swimmers.
“I’m really happy to see that I’m becoming more and more competitive against the world’s best, and it’s nice to see that I’m racing in events that are stacked with the swimmers that I normally race against,’ she said, after taking on Olympic champion Kate Douglass and world-champion siblings Alex and Gretchen Walsh.
Nineteen-year-old Chris Smith also broke through for his first World Cup medal, taking gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke with a composed performance that signalled his growing maturity.
Wider resurgence across the pool
Beyond the headline names, 2025 offered broader signs of renewal. Corbett, Lara van Niekerk and Erin Gallagher are helping to ensure Tatjana Smith’s retirement does not open a medal vacuum in women’s breaststroke. Gallagher, in particular, delivered strong relay legs and several top-five finishes on the international circuit, reaffirming her value as one of SA’s most reliable senior swimmers.
Matthew Sates returned to form with a strong national championships campaign in Gqeberha and encouraging performances on the global circuit, while Jarden Eaton continued his steady ascent and remains one of the country’s fastest-improving young sprinters. Rising junior star Kris Mihaylov was also recognised as the Most Promising Athlete of the Year after storming to 200m butterfly gold at the World Junior Championships in Romania.
A resurgence that signals a stronger future
More than medals, 2025 restored belief. Coetzé’s emergence, Corbett’s podium finish, Thomson’s explosion onto the senior stage, Meder’s consistency and the encouraging depth across sprint, backstroke and breaststroke all pointed to a system regaining its competitive edge.
For the first time in years, South African swimming has turned a corner. And if the past season is any indication, the next wave may be its strongest in a generation.
