28-06-2025
East swimming brothers chase global greatness
As we are still celebrating Youth Month, two brothers from Nieuw Muckleneuk are proving that the future of South African swimming is bright.
They will be representing both South Africa and the University of Pretoria (Tuks) at the World University Games in Germany and the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games in Namibia in July.
Owethu (20) and Tumelo Mahan (18) are student-athletes at Tuks.
While Owethu is pursuing a BCom in Informatics and Tumelo is working toward his BCom in marketing, their discipline and passion in the pool have set them apart as athletes to watch.
'We really do push one another to get faster,' said Owethu.
'It's great knowing someone is always close behind in the next lane.'
He said it's mostly competitive, but they try to support each other.
Owethu added there's always that challenge to see who can go faster.
'We actually started out playing football,' he said.
'However, swimming became our focus after we took lessons for water safety. We ended up loving it.'
Owethu's biggest goal in swimming is to get to the highest level he can and see how far he can take his career.
What's just as important to him is teaching people how to swim.
'It's a life skill everyone should have.
'I've been around the world, seen so many places, done so many things, and it's all thanks to just getting in the pool every day.'
Owethu said at Tuks, they have a strong support system.
'There are always multiple coaches on deck, ready to help you reach your goals.'
Tumelo, who is equally committed, has a strong drive to give back.
'When it's time to study, I'm all in with my studies. When it's time to train, I focus on training,' he said.
'I'm a man of faith.'
Tumelo believes life is important with God, and decreasing the drowning statistics in South Africa is a personal mission.
He added that water safety should be a right in this country, because people drown every day.
Tumelo chose to study at Tuks because it's one of the top universities, especially for what he is studying.
'TuksSport setup feels like a family.
The coaching staff, the dietitians, the sports scientists and everyone are there to support you.'
He added that inspiring young people to become water-safe is a huge part of why he swims.
Tumelo said anybody can get involved in the TuksSport lifestyle from a young age.
'You don't have to be an elite swimmer to start.'
Their father, Dana Mahan, says it best: 'My wife and I often have to remind our sons that they're children first, conquerors second'.
As they continue training through the winter, the brothers carry not only the hopes of their team and family but also the dreams of a generation.
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