Seals Swimming Club will once again be represented on the international stage after Alani Ferreira and Guy Brooks were officially selected to represent South Africa at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August.
The selection marks the second Commonwealth Games for both swimmers, having each made their Games debut at Birmingham 2022. Four years later, they return to the South African team with greater experience and the opportunity to once again compete against the Commonwealth’s best.
Their selection continues Seals Swimming Club’s proud tradition of producing athletes capable of performing on the international stage and reinforces the club’s reputation as one of South Africa’s leading high-performance swimming programmes.
For Ferreira, selection represents another significant milestone in an already distinguished international career. She will be one of only four Para swimmers selected to represent Team South Africa in Glasgow.
What makes Ferreira’s achievement particularly remarkable is the challenge she has had to overcome. Much of her international success has come in the breaststroke events, however those races are not offered for her SB12 classification at the Commonwealth Games. Instead, she has had to redirect her focus towards the 50m and 100m freestyle.
Her selection is a reward for months of hard work and adapting to a programme specifically designed around events outside her traditional strengths.
Brooks secured his place on Team South Africa after claiming silver medals in both the 100m and 200m freestyle at the 2026 SA National Aquatics Championships, the official Commonwealth Games qualifying event.
In addition to his individual races, Brooks (Top image) is expected to be a key member of South Africa’s men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, while also providing valuable depth as a potential option for the men’s medley relay should team selections require it.
Having recently completed his studies in the United States, Brooks has returned home to continue training under coach Wayne Riddin as he prepares for his second Commonwealth Games before turning his attention towards qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Ferreira will also continue her partnership with Riddin as she pursues qualification for what would be her fourth Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Should she achieve that milestone, it is believed Ferreira and Riddin would become the first South African Para swimmer and coach combination to attend four Paralympic Games together.
For Riddin, the dual selection represents another chapter in a coaching career spanning more than three decades, during which he has guided swimmers from beginner level through to Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games and World Championship representation.
The selection of Ferreira (Image below) and Brooks also highlights the strength of Seals Swimming Club’s high-performance programme, which continues to develop athletes capable of competing at the very highest level while inspiring the next generation of swimmers coming through the club as they enter their 120 years of existence a true Pietermaritzburg heart.
