South Africans impress at World Aquatics Swimming World Cup opener in USA

South Africa’s swimmers collected one gold and three bronze medals at the first stop of the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Carmel, Indiana, to finish 10th on the overall medal table after three days of competition.

Nineteen-year-old Chris Smith produced a breakthrough performance to claim gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke, edging out the Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau by just three hundredths of a second in a thrilling finish. Smith touched in 25.75 seconds, the fastest short course time in the world this year. Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich secured the bronze in 25.79.

The young South African narrowly missed out on another final in the 100m breaststroke, placing ninth overall in 57.95 seconds – just five hundredths of a second shy of the top eight.

Smith’s coach at Alcatraz Swimming Club in Centurion, Michelle Vlasakova, who has guided him since the age of 10, was thrilled with his performance, after the talented teen just missed out on the medals at both the long and short course world championships.

“I’m very proud of Chris, that he finally got it. I think he really deserved it this time. He’s been so close at the last two big international meets,” said Vlasakova.

“We both believed he could do it, and I even told him: ‘You can go so much faster’ after the heats. I know what he can do in training, and he also knows it… so definitely a lot of confidence for him going forward and training towards the Commonwealth Games and Olympics and the World Championships before that. I think he’s unstoppable now if he keeps believing in the programme and in the coaching.”

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Vlasakova believes that what separates the medallists from the rest of the pack on the international stage is their mental toughness.

“I think that is what Chris is best at. He’s very mentally strong. When he puts his head to something, no one can tell him otherwise.”

Vlasakova said she believes there’s still room for technical improvement with both her and Smith harbouring “big goals” of breaking former Olympic champion and world record holder Cameron van der Burgh’s national and continental records and reaching the top of the podium at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

Meanwhile, back in Carmel, Rebecca Meder secured two podium finishes and set an African record. She earned bronze in the women’s 200m breaststroke, clocking 2:18.14 behind Olympic champion Kate Douglass (2:13.97) and Germany’s Anna Elendt (2:17.80). The 23-year-old’s time was just 0.12 of a second off the national and continental short course record set by four-time Olympic medallist Tatjana Smith back in 2020.

Meder returned to the pool to secure another bronze in the 200m individual medley, breaking her own South African and African record with a time of 2:05.56. The race was won by American Alex Walsh in 2:04.76, with Britain’s Abbie Wood taking silver in 2:05.14. Meder also secured fifth-place finishes in both the 100m breaststroke (1:04.41) and the 100m individual medley (58.26).

While pleased with her performances, the New Zealand-based swimmer said afterwards she was still hoping for more.

“I’m happy with the times that I posted. Obviously, I always want more, and I want to be better, and I want to be faster, so I’m chasing down those African records, especially in the 200 breaststroke and the 100 breaststroke because I’m very close,” she said.

“You supposedly need to get faster each leg as you go along, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to race all these girls. Last year, I was only able to do the first leg and this year I’m able to do all three, so I’m really excited to see how I progress through the series and just learn from all the racing and competing against the world’s best.”

Veteran star Chad le Clos, who is the most decorated male swimmer in Swimming World Cup history, continued to build on that legacy, claiming bronze in the men’s 100m butterfly in 49.57 seconds. Switzerland’s Noe Ponti took gold in 48.53 with Canada’s Ilya Kharun second in 49.02.

Le Clos also placed 11th in the 50m backstroke (23.86) and 23rd overall in the 100m freestyle (47.85) but was disqualified from the 50m butterfly.

The only other South Africans in action were the US-based duo of Marizel van Jaarsveld and Francois Malherbe. Van Jaarsveld placed 15th overall in the women’s 50m breaststroke (31.59) and 22nd in both the 100m breaststroke (1:08.80) and 200m breaststroke (2:36.20), while finishing 18th in the 200m individual medley (2:19.06). Malherbe competed in a busy freestyle programme, finishing 31st in the 50m (22.30), 34th in the 100m (49.17) and 35th in the 200m (1:48.33).

The second stop of the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup takes place from 17-19 October in Westmont, Illinois. While Smith has headed back to South Africa, Meder will be aiming for a return to the podium in Westmont.