South Africa collects four medals at World Aquatics Swimming World Cup opener

South Africa’s swimmers secured one gold and three bronze medals at the first stop of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2025 in Indiana, United States, finishing 10th on the overall medal table.

The competition, which kicked off the short-course (25m) season, took place between 10 and 12 October.

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

Smith’s coach at Alcatraz Swimming Club in Centurion, Michelle Vlasakova, expressed her pride, stating: “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.”

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.

Vlasakova believes this victory is a major confidence boost for the swimmer. “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.”

Meanwhile, 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).

“I’m happy with the times that I posted,” Meder said. “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.”

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.

Veteran star Chad le Clos contributed to the medal tally, 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.

The second stop of the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup takes place from 17–19 October in Westmont, Illinois.