# South Africa at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships

South Africa competed at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary from 18 June to 3 July.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Bronze | Lara van Niekerk | Swimming | Women's 50 metre breaststroke | 25 June |

## Artistic swimming

South Africa entered 4 artistic swimmers.

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Preliminaries | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Laura Strugnell | Solo technical routine | 68.1776 | 22 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Xera Vegter Maharajh | Solo free routine | 66.1667 | 27 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Skye MacDonald Xera Vegter Maharajh | Duet technical routine | 64.3119 | 30 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Skye MacDonald Xera Vegter Maharajh | Duet free routine | 65.2333 | 32 | did not advance | did not advance |

### Mixed

| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Preliminaries | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Laura Strugnell Ayrton Sweeney | Duet free routine | 63.6000 | 13 | did not advance | did not advance |

## Diving

South Africa entered 4 divers.
| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Preliminaries | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Bailey Heydra | Women's 1 m springboard | 200.45 | 34 | — | — | did not advance | did not advance |
| Zalika Methula | Women's 1 m springboard | 184.20 | 42 | — | — | did not advance | did not advance |
| Grace Brammer Kerry-Leigh Morrison | Women's synchronized 3 m springboard | 190.20 | 13 | — | — | did not advance | did not advance |

## Open water swimming

South Africa entered 4 open water swimmers (2 male and 2 female)
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank |
| Ruan Breitenbach | Men's 5 km | 57:54.9 | 29 |
| Ruan Breitenbach | Men's 10 km | 1:55:40.1 | 22 |
| Connor Buck | Men's 5 km | 56:39.6 | 28 |
| Connor Buck | Men's 10 km | 1:59:42.6 | 31 |
| Amica de Jager | Women's 5 km | 1:01:03.7 | 29 |
| Amica de Jager | Women's 10 km | 2:06:00.2 | 22 |
| Catherine van Rensburg | Women's 5 km | 1:00:55.6 | 18 |
| Catherine van Rensburg | Women's 10 km | 2:06:54.2 | 28 |
| Ruan Breitenbach Connor Buck Amica de Jager Catherine van Rensburg | Team | DSQ | DSQ |

## Swimming

South Africa entered 9 swimmers.

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Brendan Crawford | 50 m breaststroke | 28.21 | 26 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Brendan Crawford | 100 m breaststroke | 1:01.25 | 23 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Clayton Jimmie | 50 m freestyle | 22.74 | 43 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Clayton Jimmie | 100 m freestyle | 50.68 | 55 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Chad le Clos | 50 m butterfly | 23.86 | 33 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Chad le Clos | 100 m butterfly | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| Chad le Clos | 200 m butterfly | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| Matthew Sates | 200 m freestyle | 1:47.28 | 14 Q | 1:46.63 | 12 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Matthew Sates | 400 m freestyle | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| Matthew Sates | 100 m butterfly | 54.17 | 41 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Matthew Sates | 200 m individual medley | 1:58.61 | 7 Q | 1:57.74 | 8 Q | 1:58.27 | 8 |
| Matthew Sates | 400 m individual medle | 4:14.81 | 11 | — | did not advance | did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Emma Chelius | 50 m freestyle | 24.87 | 7 Q | 24.87 | 9 | did not advance | did not advance |
| Emma Chelius | 100 m freestyle | 55.39 | 22 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Stephanie Houtman | 1500 m freestyle | 17:08.12 | 21 | — | did not advance | did not advance |
| Olivia Nel | 50 m backstroke | 29.06 | 23 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Olivia Nel | 100 m backstroke | 1:02.95 | 25 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| Lara van Niekerk | 50 m breaststroke | 29.77 AF | 1 Q | 29.99 | 3 Q | 29.90 | |
| Lara van Niekerk | 100 m breaststroke | 1:06.75 | 10 Q | 1:06.75 | 13 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |

### Mixed

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Brendan Crawford Stephanie Houtman Clayton Jimmie Olivia Nel | 4 × 100 metre medley relay | 4:00.65 | 18 | did not advance | did not advance |

## Water polo
### Summary

| Team | Event | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Group stage | Playoff | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Team | Event | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| South Africa | Men's tournament | Italy L 4–22 | Spain L 2–28 | Canada cancelled | 3 P/off | United States L 2–24 | — | Georgia L 7–20 | Australia L 4–19 | 12 |
| South Africa | Women's tournament | United States L 2–24 | Argentina L 6–7 | Netherlands L 1–22 | 4 | — | — | Colombia W 14–11 | Brazil W 8–7 | 13 |

### Men's tournament
#### Team roster

The following is South African roster in the Water polo at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament.
Head coach: Vaughn Marlow
* 1 Lwazi Madi GK
* 2 Ignardus Badenhorst FP
* 3 Niall Wheeler FP
* 4 Todd James Howard FP
* 5 Farouk Mayman FP
* 6 Roarke Olver FP
* 7 Cameron Bain Laurenson FP
* 8 Dane Tucker FP
* 9 Dylan Cronje FP
* 10 Ross Stuart Stone FP
* 11 Chad Roman FP
* 12 Jonathan Swanepoel FP
* 13 Lonwabo Mfikili GK

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 14 | +28 | 4 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Italy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 18 | +16 | 2 | Playoffs |
| 3 | South Africa | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 50 | −44 | 0 | Playoffs |
| 4 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew |
* ↑ On 24 June, the Canadian team withdrew from the tournament after multiple positive COVID-19 cases amongst the team.
| 21 June 2022 18:00 | Report | South Africa | 4–22 | Italy | Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA) |
| Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA) |||
| 21 June 2022 18:00 | Report | four players 1 | Goals | Fondelli 4 | Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA) |
| 23 June 2022 18:00 | Report | Spain | 28–2 | South Africa | Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |
| Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |||
| 23 June 2022 18:00 | Report | Granados 6 | Goals | Cronje, Howard 1 | Sopron Lőver Pool, Sopron Referees: Wallop Jirathornwattana (THA), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |
| Cancelled | Canada | – | South Africa |

#### Playoffs

| 27 June 2022 18:30 | Report | South Africa | 2–24 | United States | Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium, Budapest Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Andrew Carney (AUS) |
| Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium, Budapest Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Andrew Carney (AUS) |||
| 27 June 2022 18:30 | Report | Stone, Swanepoel 1 | Goals | Dodd 6 | Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium, Budapest Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Andrew Carney (AUS) |

#### 9th-12th place semifinal

| 29 June 2022 18:30 | Report | Georgia | 20–7 | South Africa | Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Anbar Anbar (KUW) |
| Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Anbar Anbar (KUW) |||
| 29 June 2022 18:30 | Report | three players 3 | Goals | Olver 2 | Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Radu Matache (ROU), Anbar Anbar (KUW) |

#### Eleventh place game

| 1 July 2022 17:00 | Report | Australia | 19–4 | South Africa | Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Levan Berishvili (GEO), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |
| Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Levan Berishvili (GEO), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |||
| 1 July 2022 17:00 | Report | Pavillard 5 | Goals | Swanepoel 2 | Szeged Tiszavirág Pool, Szeged Referees: Levan Berishvili (GEO), Agustin Pinski (ARG) |

### Women's tournament
#### Team roster

The following is South African roster in the Water polo at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament.
Head coach: Delaine Mentoor
* 1 Daniela Passoni GK
* 2 Tumi Macdonell CB
* 3 Paige Tancrel FP
* 4 Anna Thornton-Dibb FP
* 5 Iman Akomolafe FP
* 6 Hanna Muller FP
* 7 Shakira January CB
* 8 Esihle Zondo CF
* 9 Nicola Macleod FP
* 10 Ruby Versfeld CF
* 11 Ashleigh Vaughn FP
* 12 Chloe Meecham CB
* 13 Meghan Maartens GK

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 12 | +46 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 18 | +40 | 4 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Argentina | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 58 | −42 | 2 | Playoffs |
| 4 | South Africa | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 53 | −44 | 0 | |
| 20 June 2022 18:00 | Report | South Africa | 2–24 | United States | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Ivan Raković (SRB) |
| Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Ivan Raković (SRB) |||
| 20 June 2022 18:00 | Report | Meecham, Zondo 1 | Goals | Haralabidis 5 | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Ivan Raković (SRB) |
| 22 June 2022 18:00 | Report | Argentina | 7–6 | South Africa | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Edgar Baron (COL) |
| Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Edgar Baron (COL) |||
| 22 June 2022 18:00 | Report | Leonard 3 | Goals | Vaughan 2 | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Adil Aimbetov (KAZ), Edgar Baron (COL) |
| 24 June 2022 19:30 | Report | Netherlands | 22–1 | South Africa | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Ivan Raković (SRB), Edgar Baron (COL) |
| Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Ivan Raković (SRB), Edgar Baron (COL) |||
| 24 June 2022 19:30 | Report | Moolhuijzen 5 | Goals | Versfeld 1 | Debrecen Swimming Pool Complex, Debrecen Referees: Ivan Raković (SRB), Edgar Baron (COL) |

#### 13th-16th place semifinal

| 26 June 2022 17:00 | Report | Colombia | 11–14 | South Africa | Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Asumi Tsuzaki (JPN), Pascal Bouchez (FRA) |
| Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Asumi Tsuzaki (JPN), Pascal Bouchez (FRA) |||
| 26 June 2022 17:00 | Report | Marín, Vanegas 3 | Goals | MacLeod 4 | Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Asumi Tsuzaki (JPN), Pascal Bouchez (FRA) |

#### 13th place game

| 28 June 2022 15:30 | Report | South Africa | 8–7 | Brazil | Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Veselin Mišković (MNE) |
| Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Veselin Mišković (MNE) |||
| 28 June 2022 15:30 | Report | January 2 | Goals | Coutinho 3 | Szeged Tiszavirag Pool, Szeged Referees: Megan Perry (NZL), Veselin Mišković (MNE) |