A total of 15 of the sports stars who will represent South Africa from 23 July at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland are affiliated with the University of Pretoria.

At the last two Commonwealth Games (2018 Gold Coast and 2022 Birmingham), sports stars associated with Tuks won a total of 19 medals, which included eight gold, six silver and five bronze. South Africa’s medal tally for these two events were 64. Mathematically, it equates to the Tuks athletes’ heroics winning nearly 30% of the medals.

Tuks’ swimmers were the big standouts at both Games. They won four gold, three silver and two bronze. Pieter Coetzé won gold, silver and bronze in the backstroke in 2022. He is again competing and it is almost a foregone conclusion that he will bag three medals again. Hopefully it will include more than one gold medal.

As things stand, Coetzé is the fastest 100m and 200m backstroke swimmer in the Commonwealth countries. His best time this season in the 100m race is 52.40s, but he can’t be too complacent. Britain’s Oliver Morgan boasts a season best of 52.41s.

The South African and Britton are also likely to be the two main protagonists in the 200m backstroke. Coetzé’s best this season is 1:55.26, and Morgan’s is 1:55.80. The time difference between the top four swimmers in the event is a mere 0.80s.

The 50m backstroke will be Coetzé’s big test. At the moment, he is only the fourth fastest, with a time of 24.54s. Morgan boasts a time of 24.46s, Isaac Cooper of Australia, with 24.46s and Henry Allen of Australia, with 24.51s.

After the national championships Rocco Meiring from Tuks, who is not only Coetzé’s mentor, but will also act as coach of the South African team, said that it’s all about times.

“The faster, the better. So it is constantly about what can be done to improve his speed so that he can keep up with what is happening in world swimming. Men’s backstroke events are the most competitive in world swimming right now. A group of international swimmers keeps getting faster and faster. So Pieter is under tremendous pressure. We can’t afford to fall behind. That is why I say we can’t get blinded by medals. It is times that matter,” Meiring explained.

Another Tuks swimmer, Erin Gallagher, who won a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke in 2022, is also someone to watch in Glasgow. She is currently the second-fastest in the Commonwealth countries, with a time of 25.56 in the 50m butterfly

Kaylene Corbett, who won a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke in 2022, is currently the third fastest in the event. However, Corbett has already proven that she is one for the big moment. Meiring describes her as a “streetfighter” because she never gives up.

In athletics, Marioné Fourie has a realistic chance of winning a medal in the 100m hurdles. She will, however, have to be at her best. Her main rival is Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the world record holder (12.12s) and world champion in the event. Fourie boasts a best time of 12.49s. Currently, she is the 18th fastest in the world.

Also watch out for Tuks’ Timothy Meuwsen in judo. He is currently ranked 43rd in the world in the u.81kg category. Only Australia’s Keishin Ochi (30th) is ranked higher among Commonwealth Countries.

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