Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – July 19, 2025
Team South Africa claimed its third medal of the 2025 FISU Rhine-Ruhr World University Games on Friday night, earning bronze in the mixed 4×100m medley relay in a fiercely contested final.
The quartet of Ruard van Renen, Simone Moll, Guy Brooks, and Olivia Nel delivered a powerful collective performance, clocking a time of 3:48.34 to secure the final podium spot. Their medal adds to a growing South African tally at these Games, following Pieter Coetze’s gold in the men’s 100m backstroke and Lara van Niekerk’s silver in the women’s 50m breaststroke—making all three medals so far come from the pool.
Van Renen gave South Africa a strong start on the backstroke leg, putting the team in second place behind the United States after the first exchange. Moll, selected for the breaststroke leg ahead of silver medallist Van Niekerk, proved her worth with a superb 1:07.23 split—the fastest female breaststroke leg of the race.
Brooks maintained medal contention through the butterfly stretch, holding off a surging Italian challenge with a composed performance, before Nel anchored the freestyle leg in a rapid 53.69 seconds, fending off Italy’s final push to secure bronze. The United States stormed to gold, with Poland finishing second to take silver.
The South African team’s emotional celebration on the podium reflected both the significance of the moment and the electric atmosphere in the venue, with teammates and supporters in the stands roaring them on to the finish.
Athlete Highlights:
- Ruard van Renen: Set the tone with a strong backstroke leg (~54.24 sec split), giving SA early momentum.
- Simone Moll: Breaststroke specialist; fastest female split in the final; also placed 5th in the 50m breaststroke final.
- Guy Brooks: University of Louisville swimmer; delivered a reliable butterfly leg (53.18 sec), helping SA stay in the medal race.
- Olivia Nel: Freestyle sprinter; anchored the team with a 53.69 sec leg; also advancing in individual freestyle events with a 100m semi-final time of 54.74 sec.
This medal further underscores South Africa’s strength in the pool at these Games and highlights the country’s promising generation of university-level swimmers making their mark and coming through the South African swimming ranks.
For More South African Sport News: Sport South Africa Home Page
For More World University Games News for South Africa:
Pieter Coetze Claims SA’s First Medal at 2025 World University Games with Record-Breaking Gold
South African 3×3 Basketball Teams Prepared for World University Games
