Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – July 18, 2025
Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – July 18, 2025
South African swimmers returned to the water on Day 2 of the 2025 Rhine-Ruhr World University Games, as part of a busy day that saw Team SA competing across several disciplines including tennis, diving, fencing, and basketball. At the pool, Day 2 featured a full morning session and several semifinals and finals in the evening, with encouraging signs of progress and a standout moment that saw a new FISU record added to South Africa’s list of achievements.
Morning Session – Competitive Swims Across Multiple Events Here
Twelve South African swimmers were entered in the morning heats across various disciplines, continuing the momentum from Day 1.
- Dakota Tucker opened the day in Heat 2 of the Women’s 400m Individual Medley. Swimming in lane 1, she recorded a time of 4:51.60, narrowly missing a spot in the top 8 needed for final qualification.
- In the Men’s 200m Freestyle, Guy Brooks and Righardt Muller competed in heats 4 and 5, respectively. Brooks posted a time of 1:50.43 (placing 26th), and Muller touched in at 1:51.90 (31st). Both delivered solid performances, but the high level of times across all heats meant they did not advance.
- The Women’s 100m Freestyle featured both Olivia Nel and Georgia Nel in Heat 8. Olivia delivered South Africa’s first semifinal qualification of the day, placing 2nd in her heat and 3rd overall. Georgia finished with a time of 56.51, placing 22nd.
- In the Men’s 100m Backstroke, Ruard van Renen swam in Heat 4, while Pieter Coetzé—a pre-event medal contender—competed in Heat 6. Coetzé qualified with the fastest time overall in 53.34, while Van Renen was unfortunately disqualified due to a technical infringement.
- The Women’s 50m Breaststroke saw both Simone Moll and Lara van Niekerk deliver composed swims to book semifinal places. Van Niekerk qualified 2nd overall with 30.90, and Moll followed with a 31.29, ranking 8th.
- In the Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Matthew Randle (Heat 2) and Cameron Casali (Heat 3) both missed the cut for the next round. Casali placed 27th with 2:04.42, while Randle finished 32nd in 2:06.89.
- Rounding off the morning was Stephanie Houtman in Heat 2 of the Women’s 800m Freestyle. She placed 15th overall with a time of 8:51.63, falling outside the final qualification range.
Evening Session – Finalists Confirmed and a New FISU Record Set
Four South African swimmers returned for their semifinals in the evening, alongside Hannah Pearse, who had previously qualified for the Women’s 200m Backstroke Final during Day 1’s session.
- Olivia Nel was the first in action, continuing her strong form to qualify 4th fastest overall for the Women’s 100m Freestyle Final, scheduled for Day 3.
- Pieter Coetzé, already top-seeded from the heats, delivered the highlight of the day for Team SA by qualifying for the Men’s 100m Backstroke Final with a new FISU Games record time of 52.18. The swim positioned him as a clear contender in the final.
- In the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Semifinals, both Van Niekerk and Moll advanced. Van Niekerk placed 3rd overall with a time of 30.66, and Moll followed in 5th with 31.21—both securing spots in the next day’s final.
- In the final event involving a South African swimmer, Hannah Pearse competed in the Women’s 200m Backstroke Final. Against a fast field that saw another FISU record broken, Pearse swam a steady race to finish 6th overall in 2:10.39, rounding off her individual performance with a top-tier result.
Balanced Outcomes and Encouraging Signs
Day 2 in the pool saw South Africa secure several final qualifications, deliver steady performances across the heats, and celebrate a standout record-breaking swim. While some swimmers fell just short of advancing, the overall effort reflected the team’s preparation and competitive intent.
With key finals approaching and momentum starting to take shape, the squad headed into Day 3 with a clear focus and intent to build on the foundation they had laid against a highly competitive international field.
Stay with us as we continue to reflect on each day of the Games—sharing the full story behind Team South Africa’s performances, one discipline at a time.
For More South African Sports News: Sport South Africa Home Page
For More South African World University Games News:
Day 2 Recap – Roothman Claims SA’s First Tennis Victory at World University Games
Day 2 Recap – Brammer and Morrison in Women’s Synchronised Springboard Final.
Day 2 Recap – South Africa’s Épée Trio Show Resilience in Gruelling Fencing Bouts
