Top athletes gather at Newton Park with Commonwealth Games qualification and national titles on the line in a crucial five-day meet.
Gqeberha, South Africa (14 April 2026) – South Africa’s top swimmers will head on to Gqeberha from 14–18 April as the Bombela Concession Company SA National Swimming Championships take centre stage at the Newton Park Swimming Pool, with national titles and crucial Commonwealth Games qualification spots on the line.
The five-day showdown is one of the biggest events on the domestic swimming calendar, acting as the key selection meet for swimmers hoping to book their place in Team South Africa later this year.
Among those expected to light up the pool is backstroke star Pieter Coetzé, who arrives in strong form after a standout performance at the China Open, where he dominated all three backstroke events.
“With China going very well, I think it was a good indicator that I’m on track to perform well at Nationals and see if I can build on that for the rest of the season. It was a good place to start,” said Pieter Coetzè.
Important to keep an eye out for the University of Pretoria swimmer who will compete in multiple backstroke and freestyle events in Gqeberha.
Coetzé is treating the meet as a qualification stepping stone rather than a peak performance event.
Not leaving out veteran Olympic champion Chad le Clos, who is also back in the mix, targeting a fifth Commonwealth Games appearance, while breaststroke star Lara van Niekerk returns to national competition after missing last year’s championships. Both are using the event to gauge form after time away from the national stage.
“I’m really excited for next week. I haven’t swum many long-course races since the Olympics. I think I’ve only done one. So, I’m a little nervous, I’m not going to lie,” admitted Le Clos.
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On the other hand, Van Niekerk says her preparation has been steady and encouraging as she targets qualification in the 50m and 100m breaststroke.
“I’m hoping to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and just enjoy myself and execute my race plans as best I can.”
The women’s breaststroke field is expected to be highly competitive, with Rebecca Meder among the standout contenders. The New Zealand-based swimmer will contest multiple events, including the 200m individual medley and all breaststroke distances, setting up key clashes with the likes of Olympic finalist Kaylene Corbett, who has also been in strong form internationally.
Also in the mix are rising talents like Erin Gallagher and 18-year-old Jessica Thompson, who recently set a new African record in the 50m backstroke, along with experienced breaststroker Chris Smith.
South Africa’s Para swimming stars will also be in action, led by Christian Sadie, who impressed at last year’s World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore with multiple medals and record-breaking performances.
“I’ve been really happy with the progress that I’ve been making in the past year since coming back from world champs,” said Sadie. “We changed a few things going into world champs last year and I think we’re reaping the benefits now of being able to tune them quite well.”
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