Rocco Meiring confident his swimmers are ready for the Commonwealth Games

Meiring has been putting the final touches to the team's preparations and is confident that stars such as Kaylene Corbett and Pieter Coetzé are ready to compete on the biggest stage.

Speaking to SABC Sport, the highly respected coach says he has done everything possible to ensure his swimmers arrive in Scotland in peak condition.

"Yes, the swimmers under my care have been working hard, so we've had no major injuries or incidents. We have had a few bouts of flu, but that's normal. So I suppose they are as ready as they can be. We will see whether it worked when we start racing," said Meiring.

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While Meiring oversees Team South Africa's swimming squad, he says it is difficult to assess the full team's readiness because many swimmers have been training in different parts of the world. 

He expects to have a clearer picture when the entire squad assembles on 21 July ahead of the competition, which begins on 24 July.

"I can't tell you about the whole team because I only coach some of the swimmers. The team is training in different places all over the world. We will have to see what the team is like when we get together on the 21st of July in Glasgow because that's when most of the team will be arriving, and we start swimming on the 24th of July."

The reigning South African Coach of the Year says the Commonwealth Games will provide a valuable opportunity to measure his swimmers' progress on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

He believes the event remains one of the toughest competitions in world swimming because of the high standard of athletes from across the Commonwealth.

Meiring says his expectation is for his swimmers to be competitive in every event and challenge for medals. 

He believes strong performances in Glasgow will boost their confidence as they continue building towards future international championships.

The experienced coach also emphasised the importance of the relay events, where Team South Africa has realistic medal hopes. 

He says success in relays depends on teamwork, careful planning and selecting the right combination of swimmers for each race.

"Relays are very important, and if you want to build a strong swimming nation, you build it on your relays. So, the relay is something we are working on with Swimming South Africa. The relay is specific in terms of giving us more depth. Thus, the relays will be a good test for us to see whether we have been successful and what else we need to do in order to continue with that strategy."