Maharajh eyes golden return at artistic swimming nationals

After a challenging year sidelined by injury, Xera Vegter Maharajh is ready to make a splash at the upcoming Bombela Concession Artistic Swimming National Championships.

The country’s premier artistic swimmers are descending on Cape Town this weekend for the event, which runs from 29 March to 1 April. For Maharajh, the competition represents a long-awaited return to the national stage after missing last year’s championships due to a concussion.

The 22-year-old athlete, who represented South Africa at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, has had to manage a condensed preparation phase for this year’s event.

"I started training again for this season at the end of January, so it has been quite a short preparation period," Maharajh explained. "I was a bit stressed going into preparation, but overall training has been good, and I feel ready for the national championships."

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Despite the tight turnaround, the top-ranked swimmer remains confident. She is scheduled to compete in three major events: Tech Solo, Tech Team and Free Solo.

Maharajh’s journey back to the pool has been defined by resilience. Having struggled with a series of setbacks, the Bachelor of Science student—who is majoring in biochemistry, human anatomy, and physiology—is firmly on the comeback trail.

"I was out of the water for nearly six months after Singapore, doing rehab for my shoulder and recovering from a minor surgery. After that, I was excited to get back into training,” she said.

The recovery process has not only restored her physical health but also her competitive outlook. “So far it’s all gone smoothly. I feel a lot stronger this year after all the work I did for my shoulder... I’m more positive about this year since last year was a lot more of a struggle," she added.