South Africa’s aquatics community celebrates outstanding achievements at annual awards
CHILDHOOD DREAM
SA swimmer Kaylene Corbett was named Female Swimmer of the Year at the weekend Bombela Concession Company Annual Aquatics Awards.
Image: Supplied
In a glittering celebration of excellence, South Africa’s aquatics community converged at the Southern Sun OR Tambo on Saturday night for the Bombela Concession Company Annual Aquatics Awards. The event paid tribute to athletes, coaches, and volunteers who have made remarkable contributions to the sport over the past season.
Highlighting the evening’s triumphs, Pieter Coetzé earned the title of Male Swimmer of the Year after an exceptional season. His performance at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore was nothing short of spectacular, marked by three medals in backstroke events, including a gold finish in the 100m backstroke. His record-breaking achievements solidify his position as one of South Africa's brightest Olympic hopefuls.
On the women’s front, Kaylene Corbett celebrated a significant career milestone, being named Female Swimmer of the Year. Her breakthrough earned a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke at the World Championships, marking her first major international accolade as a two-time Olympic finalist.
Kris Mihaylov took the Most Promising Athlete of the Year award. He took the 200m butterfly gold at the World Junior Championships in Romania earlier in the year.
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Water polo shone brightly as well, with Mitchell Garreau and Boati Motau receiving the coveted titles of Male and Female Water Polo Players of the Year, respectively. Motau reflected on her win, stating, “To be given this is the highest honour. It just shows all the hard work that I’ve been putting into the sport.” She dedicated her win to her family and teammates, acknowledging the collective effort behind her success.
In the diving category, Bailey Heydra was recognised as Diver of the Year, demonstrating consistent progress throughout the season. Competing in the World Championships, Heydra secured a notable 29th place in the 3m springboard event and a commendable 14th in synchronised diving alongside her partner, Zalika Methula.
Male Swimmer of the Year Pieter Coetzé enjoyed a spectacular season, including backstroke medals at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Image: Backpagepix
Tayla-Jade van Huyssteen took home the Artistic Swimmer of the Year award, while African champion Callan Lotter and Connor Buck were celebrated as the female and male Open Water Swimmers of the Year, respectively. The night also marked a significant achievement for young athlete Kris Mihaylov, who was awarded Most Promising Athlete of the Year after clinching the gold in the 200m butterfly at the World Junior Championships held in Romania earlier this year.
Mihaylov shared his excitement, saying, “I’m honoured and grateful. We’ve worked hard so I’m just happy to reflect that and see how far I’ve come.” Describing his gold medal victory, he added, “It was surreal. It’s something you’ve dreamed of when you were a little kid.”
The Aquatics Personality of the Year award went to para swimmer Aaron Putz, voted in by the public, beating out strong contenders, including Heydra and Erin Gallagher. Minke Janse van Rensburg also earned recognition, being named Female Para Swimmer of the Year while Christian Sadie took the Male Para Swimmer of the Year honour, returning from the World Para Swimming Championships with multiple medals and new continental records.
Female Water Polo Player of the Year Boati Motau.
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Coaching excellence was acknowledged with Rocco Meiring being named Coach of the Year, a testament to his mentorship of Coetzé and Corbett. Meiring emphasised the collaborative nature of success, expressing, “I’m not the coach of the year. I’m representing a coaching staff that are as much part of the award as anybody else.” His commitment to developing high-performance athletes at the University of Pretoria has played a pivotal role in South Africa's aquatics success, with TUKS also receiving the title of Club of the Year.
Club Development of the Year was awarded to Fish Eagles, led by Gail Bohler, in recognition of their impactful community-driven programmes. The evening also allowed for the recognition of administrators, instructors, volunteers, and media professionals whose contributions were invaluable to the sport throughout the year.
Coach of the Year Rocco Meiring
Image: Supplied
André van Rensburg, CEO of Bombela Concession Company, highlighted the importance of shared success, remarking, “At Bombela, we believe that success is most meaningful when it is shared.” He celebrated the partnership with Swimming South Africa in nurturing young athletes and promoting active lifestyles.
Alan Fritz, president of Swimming South Africa, echoed this sentiment, noting the awards as a significant milestone in the federation's journey since its re-admission into world sports in 1992. “The Annual Awards are about recognising those who strive for excellence in the pool and administratively.”
Award winners:
- Male Swimmer of the Year: Pieter Coetzé
- Female Swimmer of the Year: Kaylene Corbett
- Aquatics Personality of the Year: Aaron Putz
- Male Para Swimmer of the Year: Christian Sadie
- Female Para Swimmer of the Year: Minke Janse van Rensburg
- Female Water Polo Player of the Year: Boati Motau
- Male Water Polo Player of the Year: Mitchell Garreau
- Diver of the Year: Bailey Heydra
- Artistic Swimmer of the Year: Tayla-Jade van Huyssteen
- Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Connor Buck
- Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Callan Lotter
- Coach of the Year: Rocco Meiring
- Junior Coach of the Year: David Glover
- Club of the Year: TUKS
- Most Promising Athlete of the Year: Kris Mihaylov
- Administrator of the Year: Janet van Huyssteen
- Club Development of the Year: Fish Eagles (Gail Bohler)
- Instructor of the Year: Vani Govender
- Volunteer of the Year: Princess Xaba
- Journalists of the Year: David Isaacson (Print), Ongeziwe Mjana (Radio), Siphokazi Malinga (TV
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