Tatjana Schoenmaker and Kaylene Corbett, are going to set their own ambitions aside from Friday in Bloemfontein to try and help Tuks win the USSA Swim Gala overall for a third consecutive year.
Schoenmaker who earlier this year won a silver medal at the World Championships already "starred" during last year's gala. She won all three breaststroke events (50m, 100m and 200m) as well as the 200m individual medley. She was second in the 800m and 100m freestyle events.
According to Corbett, who was a finalist in the 200m-breaststroke during the World Championships during USSA's it is never about fast times. It is about winning. The more, the better.
"We are swimming for the pride of the university. If we can increase our overall winning margin of last year, it would be a job well done," explains Corbett, who won all three breaststroke events during the recent African Games in Morocco.
It is to be expected that the two Tuks swimmers will duel it out in the breaststroke events. Corbett is however quick to emphasise that there is no malice in their rivalry.
"The thing that makes it great to train at Tuks is that we as female swimmers collectively decided that we wanted to live the profile of women's swimming. We aim to win medals for South Africa during international competitions.
"From my personal experience at the African Games, I can honestly say there is nothing more special to stand on the winner's podium listening to the national anthem playing. It makes you proud to be a South African.
"When we train together, we motivate each other all the time. Yes, there is a rivalry as each of us have our goals, and in sport, there can only be one winner. But there is never any jealousy in or around the pool.
"I was perhaps more excited than Tatjana when she won the silver medal at the World Championships. I knew how hard she had worked and what she had sacrificed to do so."
Rocco Meiring (TuksSwimming head coach) views USSA as one of the toughest galas.
"It is all about points. Swimmers will 'bleed' to ensure a team victory. Most swimmers compete in six individual events in the four sessions and not just the events they train for."
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