Day 7 Recap – Nel Ends Swimming Campaign with Freestyle Bronze in Berlin

Berlin, Germany – July 23, 2025
The final day of swimming at the 2025 Rhine-Ruhr World University Games brought down the curtain on South Africa’s campaign in the pool, as the team closed out a strong week of competition at the Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europasportpark with more finals appearances and another podium finish.

Morning Session – Relay Momentum and Heat Performances

The day began with two solid outings in the Women’s 400m Freestyle. Lise Coetzee placed 2nd in Heat 2 with 4:21.85, while Hannah Robertson produced a standout performance to win Heat 3 in 4:16.71. Despite her victory, Robertson did not progress further as no qualification spot was allocated from her race.

Cameron Casali continued South Africa’s presence in the individual medley events, taking 2nd place in Heat 2 of the Men’s 400m Individual Medley in 4:31.32, though his effort was not enough to advance.

Relay action provided the morning’s highlight. The Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay team delivered a composed swim, clocking 4:07.11 for 2nd in their heat and booking a well-earned place in the final. The Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay squad followed with a statement performance, winning Heat 2 in 3:41.92. Despite the heat victory, the time ultimately fell short of securing a finals berth.

Evening Session – Nel Adds Bronze, Breaststroke Duo in Finals

The evening finals session saw South Africa return to the spotlight. In the Women’s 100m Breaststroke final, both of the nation’s representatives lined up side by side. Lara van Niekerk placed 6th in 1:08.30, narrowly edging teammate Simone Moll, who finished 7th in 1:08.32, as the pair closed out a competitive week of racing.

The Women’s 50m Freestyle final brought South Africa its last medal of the meet. Olivia Nel, already a bronze medalist in the 50m Backstroke earlier in the week, delivered again with a storming effort to take 3rd place in 24.82. The result capped off a standout campaign for Nel, who emerged as one of Team South Africa’s key performers in Berlin.

The day concluded with the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay final, where the South African quartet produced a determined effort to finish 5th in 4:06.45, wrapping up their Games with another top-five placing.

A Strong Finish to the Swimming Programme

Day 7 ensured that South Africa ended its swimming campaign on a high note. Nel’s second bronze medal was the highlight, providing South Africa with its 8^th medal in the pool, thus placing us 5^th on medal’s table in the swimming.

Across the seven days of competition, Team South Africa consistently featured in finals, showcased depth across multiple strokes, and demonstrated the potential of its next generation of swimmers. With the swimming programme now complete, attention turns to the remainder of the Games, where South Africa will look to build on the momentum created in the pool.