Alan Fritz excited about Swimming SA nominations for SA Sports Awards
23rd August 2025
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Swimming South Africa (SSA) president Alan Fritz has expressed his delight following the nominations of Tatjana Smith and her former coach Rocco Meiring for the SA Sports Awards, which will take place on Sunday at 8 pm at the Sun City Super Bowl in the North West province.
Smith, who retired after winning two medals at the Paris Olympic Games last year, is the federation’s leading nominee.
The 28-year-old swimming icon has been shortlisted for Sportswoman of the Year, alongside cricketer Laura Wolvaardt and weightlifter Tasneem Solomons.
She is also in contention for the prestigious Sports Star of the Year award, where she faces stiff competition from athletics stars Akani Simbine and Mpumelelo Mhlongo.
Meiring, head coach of South African swimming and the University of Pretoria program, is among the nominees for Coach of the Year against Andries Kruger and Jason Sewanyana.
SSA’s success on the global stage—two medals at the Olympics and four at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Singapore—has left Fritz, a former SASCOC board member, brimming with pride.
“To say that I am proud of Tatjana and Rocco would be an understatement.
Their recognition, both locally and internationally, is truly humbling.
Tatjana started her journey at the World Student Games, and now we see swimmers like Pieter Coetze excelling on the world stage,” Fritz told SABC Sport.
“Swimming has always been at the forefront of winning medals at the Olympics, and these nominations reflect that. We are happy and excited, and we hope this recognition inspires the next generation to dream big and never give up.”
Fritz highlighted SSA’s strong tradition at the SA Sports Awards, noting previous wins by stars like Chad le Clos and Meiring.
With Smith now retired, he believes Coetze is ready to take over the mantle as the country’s leading swimmer.
“Pieter has matured well, and you can see the role his parents played in his development.
Swimming is a sport that keeps on delivering and making South Africans proud. Our vision remains clear: to keep working hard and ensure continued success,” added Fritz, a former swimming instructor.
