Swimming SA Chief Alan Fritz sets modest targets for the World Champs

The national federation has announced a strong squad of over 100 athletes and support staff, including Olympic star Chad le Clos, who will attend the event as an observer.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Fritz said he is allowing the team some leeway at the global championships.

He expressed that reaching the semi-finals or finals would make him proud and emphasized the importance of the athletes performing well without feeling extra pressure.

"Our expectations are quite clear, especially after the National Senior and Junior Championships. We would be very happy if we could grab hold of semifinal and final spots at World Champs. 

"The World Championships will be a yardstick for us to measure where the athletes are at mentally and physically in terms of the build-up to the next Olympic Games."

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Swimming is widely regarded as one of the key sports expected to deliver medals for the country, and Fritz is beginning to feel the weight of that expectation at major events like the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

"I feel the pressure when the Olympic Games and other major global events arise, the country expects our swimmers to produce, but it takes a whole country to produce," said the President of Swimming South Africa. 

Swimming South Africa secured Fila as its apparel sponsor just a week before the start of the championships.

However, despite being one of the country’s most relied-upon medal-winning sports, it continues to face challenges in attracting broader sponsorship support.

"Ever since 2010, there has been an over-reliance from sponsors on football. This is the case worldwide; football, cricket, and rugby all receive huge government funding and support.

"The government of today must invest more in sport, and there is so much more to sport than chasing medals and glory. An active nation is a healthy nation, and a nation that produces on the biggest stage," concluded Fritz.