{"id":11865,"date":"2025-11-30T14:18:38","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T12:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/?p=11865"},"modified":"2025-11-30T14:18:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T12:18:41","slug":"coetze-corbett-honoured-as-bombela-aquatics-awards-salute-sas-rising-and-reigning-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kznaquatics.co.za\/?p=11865","title":{"rendered":"Coetz\u00e9, Corbett honoured as Bombela Aquatics Awards salute SA\u2019s rising and reigning stars"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PRESS RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

30 November 2025 \u2013 South Africa\u2019s aquatics community came together at the Bombela Concession Company Annual Aquatics Awards at the Southern Sun OR Tambo on Saturday night to honour the athletes, coaches and volunteers who excelled in the past season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pieter Coetz\u00e9 was named Male Swimmer of the Year after a standout season highlighted by a trio of backstroke medals at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, including a memorable gold in the 100m backstroke. His performances, backed by multiple African records, reinforced his status as one of South Africa\u2019s most promising Olympic prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the women\u2019s side, Kaylene Corbett was awarded Female Swimmer of the Year following her breakthrough bronze in the 200m breaststroke at the same championships. It was a first major international medal for the two-time Olympic finalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water polo also took centre stage, with Mitchell Garreau and Boati Motau receiving the awards for Male and Female Water Polo Players of the Year. Motau was part of the South African team that competed at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be given this is the highest honour. It just shows all the hard work that I\u2019ve been putting into the sport and all the love, blood, sweat and tears,\u201d said a thrilled Motau. \u201cSo I\u2019m really honoured and grateful, but this isn\u2019t only for me. It\u2019s also for my family and teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bailey Heydra was honoured as Diver of the Year after a season marked by steady progression. The US-based diver finished 29th<\/sup> in the 3m springboard event at the world championships and secured 14th<\/sup> spot in the synchronised 3m springboard event along with partner Zalika Methula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayla-Jade van Huyssteen was named Artistic Swimmer of the Year, while African champion Callan Lotter and Connor Buck were honoured as the female and male Open Water Swimmers of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kris Mihaylov was recognised as Most Promising Athlete of the Year, after storming to 200m butterfly gold at the World Junior Championships in Romania earlier in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m honoured and grateful. We\u2019ve worked hard so I\u2019m just happy to reflect that and see how far I\u2019ve come,\u201d said Mihaylov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking about his podium-topping performance in Romania, the 18-year-old added: \u201cIt was surreal. It\u2019s something you\u2019ve dreamed of when you were a little kid but at the end of the day it\u2019s actually just the start, and this is just a great motivating factor for me and more will come for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hotly contested Aquatics Personality of the Year, which was decided by public vote, went to Para swimmer Aaron Putz, who edged out Heydra and Erin Gallagher for the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a year marked by several more world-record performances, Minke Janse van Rensburg was named Female Para Swimmer of the Year, while Christian Sadie was awarded the Male Para Swimmer of the Year accolade after returning from the World Para Swimming Championships with a silver and two bronze medals, along with several new continental records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Rocco Meiring was named Coach of the Year after guiding both Coetz\u00e9 and Corbett to global medal performances. Meiring\u2019s efforts at the University of Pretoria continue to provide a major contribution towards South Africa\u2019s high-performance pipeline, with TUKS also being named Club of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m humbled. As I said, I\u2019m not the coach of the year. I\u2019m representing a coaching staff that are as much part of the award as anybody else,\u201d said Meiring afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m very happy for the swimmers. We haven\u2019t had a Swimming South Africa awards ceremony for many years and I think that\u2019s important for the swimmers to be acknowledged, especially by their own federation and that\u2019s a very important aspect that I think they\u2019ve done well,\u201d added Meiring whose focus in the new year for his high-performance swimmers will be the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish Eagles, led by Gail Bohler, earned Club Development of the Year for their impact in community-driven programmes while additional honours were presented to the administrators, instructors, volunteers and media professionals who made an invaluable contribution to the sport in the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CEO of Bombela Concession Company, Andr\u00e9 van Rensburg, said: \u201cAt Bombela, we believe that success is most meaningful when it is shared. That is why we are the proud title sponsor of Swimming South Africa \u2013 supporting the development of young athletes and the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTogether, we are investing in a future where talent is recognised, communities are uplifted, and every young swimmer has the opportunity to dream boldly and achieve confidently. We are keenly following your progress and look forward to sharing in the many victories still to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn saying that, we also recognise the tremendous effort of the team behind these athletes, from the administration to the coaches. Without this team, there can be no victories. We have come to know many of them personally and we are inspired by their dedication and passion for this sport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President of Swimming South Africa Alan Fritz added: \u201cThe resumption of the Swimming South Africa Bombela Concession Company Annual Awards is a fundamental that underpins the success of the federation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe past year has undoubtedly been the best season of SSA since our re-admission into world sports in 1992. Our athletes are most certainly leading the country\u2019s charges for podium performances regionally, continentally, internationally, and at the pinnacle of sport, the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Annual Awards are about recognising those who strive for excellence in the pool and administratively. Swimming South Africa salutes all recipients of awards. Our goal is to create an environment that allows them to achieve even greater performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBombela Concession Company\u2019s partnership with SSA is a clear alignment of organisational goals and values, and we are extremely proud of what we have achieved together as a federation and a corporate sponsor.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Award winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n