"When we fight, we win" is one of Kamala Harris’s favourite slogans from her U.S. presidential campaign.

And she’s right. But why is this relevant? Tuks swimmers won the recent 2024 USSA Swim Championships for the sixth time. With this victory, and with an apology to Vice President Harris, Tuks proved: "When we dive in, we win."

The swimmers dominated once again, not only winning the overall title but also securing victories in both the men's and women's team competitions. The USSA event was hosted at the Hillcrest Sports Campus. Tuks scored an impressive 1,438.50 points, with Maties finishing second at 934.50 points and Varsity College placing third with 863 points.

Ben Plattner, who won the 100m butterfly in 54.60 seconds, and Hannah Pearse, with a golden 2:15.62 in the 200m backstroke, delivered the top performances of the championships according to the World Aquatics points table. Their outstanding efforts earned them the MVP awards.

Without her knowing or even getting wet, the Olympic 200m-breaststroke finalist, Kaylene Corbett, contributed to Tuks' dominance. 

The third-year BCom Business Management student, Plattner, will tell the story. This is the third time he has represented Tuks at the USSA Gala. So he has been swimming for a long time. It was his mom who got him to swim.

"As a youngster, I was pretty chubby. My parents were like we need to address this satisfactorily. So my mom took me to swim at the gym. The more I swam, the more weight I lost. I also got quite good at it. There was a time when I was one of the fastest swimmers at the gym. That led to me joining a club. I am still swimming.

"But there was a time at Tuks when it felt like my swimming was in a rut. It felt like the same o, same o day after day. You get up, go to class, swim, go home, and do what needs to be done. It was like Groundhog Day. 

"But everything changed when Kaylene Corbett and I started to date. I always believed the worst you, as a swimmer, can do is to talk about swimming. However, the conversations Kaylene and I had about swimming became much more informative and inspiring. It gave me insight into what an athlete who competes at the highest level has to endure. 

"My coach, Rocco Meiring, calls me a laid-back surfer guy. Being laid-back is not the best, but it is also not the worst. The reality, however, is when you swim against the best, you need to be a bit 'agro'. Competitive. 

"One of the many things I respect about Kaylene is her love for racing. She steps up. It is inspiring because, as a competitor, you have to want it. With Kaylene's encouragement, I have also developed a love for racing. I now have a mindset of wanting to race at big events."

During USSA Champs, Plattner won the 100m-butterfly and finished second in the 50m and 100m butterfly events. He was also part of the men's 4x50m medley relay, which won gold.