Swimmers were the big winners at the University of Pretoria Sports Awards last night.

Pieter Coetzé was named Bestmed Sportsman of the Year. Kaylene Corbett is Bestmed Sportswoman of the Year, and Rocco Meiring is Coach of the Year (individual sport). TuksSwimming is the Club of the Year. The club swimmers medalled at every event (locally and internationally) at which they competed.

Coetzé is only the second South African swimmer to win three medals at a World Championships. He is the 100m backstroke world champion and was second in the 200m backstroke and the 50m backstroke. In the space of seven days, he improved the African record in the 50m backstroke (24.17s), 100m backstroke (51.85s), and 200m backstroke (1:53.36) during the World Championships. At the World University Games, he won the 50 m and 100 m backstroke events. He was second in the 100m freestyle.

Coetzé attributes his success to a competitive nature.

"My competitiveness comes from a young age. I was born with it. I always say I'm not built for training. The times I swim during training are just average. I'm more of a racer. When I race, I am in a different mindset," says the first-year psychology student.

It wouldn't be wrong to say "cometh the moment, cometh the swimmer" to describe the way Kaylene Corbett steps up to win bronze in the 200m breaststroke at the World Championships.

"When I compete internationally, it's about more than just myself. I want to give my best for South Africa. This is something Tatjana (Smith) and I have talked about a lot," said Corbett.

Meiring is the only South African coach to have led more than one swimmer to a World Championship medal. He also coached Smith, the Tokyo 2020 200m breaststroke champion and world record holder.

Meiring is not one to brag about himself. He answers the question that drives him, mockingly, by saying, "I'm not employable for another job. On the other hand, it could be a selfish career thing. I saddled the horse, and now I have to ride it."

But then he confesses that, to him, there is no greater satisfaction than when his swimmers achieve the goals they have set themselves.

"I like the challenge that comes with coaching. It's stimulating."

Colette Uys, the Bestmed Student Sportswoman of the Year, won a bronze medal in the women's shot put at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Germany.

Earlier this season, during the South African Senior Track & Field Championships in Potchefstroom, she achieved what few athletes have ever done.  Colette medalled in three events. She won gold in the shot put and discus events and silver in the hammer throw. At the USSA Athletics Championships in Tshwane, she won all three events.

Calvin Davis is the Bestmed Student Sportsman of the Year. In the past five years, Tuks have been crowned USSA champions four times.  Davis played in three of those finals. He has captained the team in the last two finals and also represented South Africa on the international stage.

Lizanne Jacobs, who coached the TuksWomensRugby 15s team to contest the 2025 FNB Women's Varsity Cup and USSA Rugby finals, is the Coach of the Year (Team Sport). Under her guidance, Tuks clinched the Women's Carlton League title.