When Tatjana Schoenmaker takes to the blocks for the 200m breaststroke final in Tokyo, there’ll be at least one man in Mamelodi – 13 500km away – beaming with pride. Every day for the past 30-odd years, Abel Mokoena, 64, has been making sure the University of Pretoria’s swimming pool is in pristine condition, ready for the elite athletes who construct their Olympic dreams there.

In better-resourced countries, there would be a team of people doing the work he does, but Mokoena does it alone and loves it. “I’m the pool superintendent. I look after everything here,” he explains from his tiny office situated just to the side of the pool deck. “When there are galas, I arrange the gala things – equipment, chemicals. I have to keep the pool at a good standard.

“I ask when I need help, but at the moment I’m alone. I manage this place alone, with [Tuks head coach] Rocco [Meiring] helping me now and then. He gives me instructions on what he needs and then I do that.

“I enjoy my job no matter what needs to be done. It’s a dirty job sometimes – we have to clean and do all those things – but I don’t mind. I love what I’m doing so I do it well.”

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