The TuksSwimming duo, Callan Lotter and Catherine van Rensburg, redefined the meaning of finishing first and second at the South African Open Water Swimming Championships this past weekend.

In a rare feat, the results were identical across four different events. Lotter claimed victory in the 10 km, 5 km, 1.5 km races, and the 3 km knockout event in Jeffreys Bay, while Van Rensburg finished second each time. Their stellar performances secured both swimmers a spot at the World Swimming Championships in Singapore this July.

Adding an interesting twist, Van Rensburg previously won the Midmar Mile, where Lotter finished as runner-up.

For Lotter, this past weekend was particularly memorable. She celebrated her 19th birthday on Sunday by clinching her fourth South African title in three days. Notably, Friday’s 10 km victory marked her third national title in the event, a race she first won at just 17 years old.

With their dominant displays, Lotter and Van Rensburg have set the stage for a thrilling international campaign in Singapore.

"Success and long hours of training go hand in hand. There were days when I didn't feel like training, but I never complained. I knew what I was working for. I firmly believe that you never do anything for nothing. That's why I kept going. Every day, there was something I could work harder on to swim better. The group of swimmers I train with helps me enjoy the long, hard hours in the pool," said Lotter.

"The most special race over the three days was the 10 km. I really wanted to do my hat trick in the number. And I did. To do so was special. The 5 km on the last day was probably the hardest. My arms and body were quite sore. It meant I had to dig deep to win."

You would think Van Rensburg would be frustrated with her four second-place finishes, but that's not true.

"To be honest, I didn't expect much. I stopped competing in open-water swimming two years ago. I have only been at it for the last six months. It's also only been a short time that Mark Randall has been coaching me. So, for now, I am happy with my results.

""What made the championships special for me is that Callan and I swam so well. We train in the same lane together daily, and we dream together. Hardly a day goes by that we don't push each other to the limit to swim better. Competing in the World Championships together is going to be special."

The two swimmers' coach, Mark Randall, said the ultimate goal is to get them to compete on the world stage against the best open water swimmers. 

"That is why they need to be better every time they compete than the last time they did so."

As to the World Championships, Randall said it would be a great result if both of them finished in the top 20. Last year in Doha, Lotter finished 29th.

According to Randall, the secret to two coaching swimmers competing in the same event is to realise they have different strengths and weaknesses. 

"It means they need different things from me as a coach. Ultimately, they are rivals when they compete. They swim to win but are best friends outside the pool."