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- South Africa have named a strong contingent of swimmers ahead the World Aquatics Championships in Japan, which start on Friday.
- Olympic champion Tatjana Schoenmaker and veteran Roland Schoeman lead the charge in Fukuoka.
- South Africa will also compete in water polo, artistic swimming and diving.
Roland Schoeman and Tatjana Schoenmaker lead a strong South African contingent at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The 20th edition of the championships, which will serve as qualification for next year's Paris Olympics, gets under way from Friday and runs until 30 July.
Swimmers from around the world will descend on Japan as they vie for 76 medals and a piece of the $5.6 million prize money.
The diving competition in Fukuoka runs from Friday to 22 July, while the country's open water swimmers will be competing from Saturday until 20 July.
Olympian diver Julia Vincent, who represented South Africa at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, will be competing in the 1m and 3m springboard events and hopes to lend some expertise to the diving team.
"I am so excited to be going to Japan this year ... especially with this new team that's going," said the 29-year-old.
"I'm really excited for the different dynamic to all my other world champs that I have been a part of, with these new faces.
"These kids are the future of the sport in South Africa, so I'm very excited to see how they do and hopefully [I can] try and lead them and help them feel comfortable on what can be a very nerve-wracking stage.
"My training has been going well. It's exactly where I want it to be right now, so I'm hoping that I can get on that stage and showcase what I've been working on and just make the country proud."
Diver Zalika Methula will be competing alongside fellow countrywoman Bailey Heydra in the 3m synchronised event.
Fukuoka will be a learning experience for the country's artistic swimmers as the competition (14-22 July) has introduced new regulations to the sport.
Olympian Laura Strugnell will be competing alongside Jessica Hayes-Hill in the women's duet.
"Our ultimate goal is to qualify for Paris 2024, and we are diligently working towards that milestone, with the opportunity to do so in Doha this coming February," said Strugnell.
Meanwhile, the water polo teams will be in action from 16-29 July.
The South African women's water polo team have been grouped with Brazil, Greece and Italy for the pool stage.
The men's water polo team find themselves in a tough group as they play against current world champions Spain, Olympic champions Serbia and Montenegro.
The SA men's captain, Lwazi Madi, believes his side have the potential to deliver in Japan as they prepare for an exciting 2024 year.
"The team this year is similar to the one that went to Hungary last year for world champs, which bodes well for us as the team is balanced with experienced and youthful players," said Madi.
"We are hoping to continue our progress as a team as we aim to try and compete against the world's best. The journey will be difficult, but the team is looking forward to it."
The swimming leg of the World Championships runs from 23-30 July with Schoenmaker leading the 11-member team.
The obvious contenders will be the star breaststroke duo of Schoenmaker and Lara van Niekerk, who shone at last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Schoenmaker is likely to swim in the 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke events, while Van Niekerk looks set to compete in the 50m and 100m breaststroke.
The 42-year-old Schoeman will be competing in his final World Aquatics Championships.
In April, Schoeman turned back the clock in the 50m butterfly as he clinched his first national title since 2015.
Full SA team at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan:
Swimming
Aimee Canny, Emma Chelius, Milla Drakopoulos, Trinity Hearne, Michael Houlie, Clayton Jimmie, Rebecca Meder, Righardt Muller, Tatjana Schoenmaker, Roland Schoeman, Lara van Niekerk
Open Water Swimming
Joshua Ashley, Kate Beavon, Connor Buck, Matthew Caldwell, Amica de Jager, Tory Earle
Diving
Bailey Heydra, Zalika Methula, Stefan Steenkamp, Julia Vincent
Artistic Swimming
Jessica Hayes Hill, Skye Macdonald, Siphokazi Myende, Laura Strugnell
Women Water Polo
Olufunke Gando, Shakira January, Nicola MacLeod, Meghan Maartens, Tumi Macdonell, Chloe Meecham, Boati Motau, Hannah Muller, Megan Sileno, Kelsey Thomson, Anna Thornton-Dibb, Ruby Versfeld, Esihle Zondo
Men Water Polo
Ignardus Badenhorst, Manqoba Bungane, Dylan Cronje, Joshua Faber, Todd Howard, Cameron Laurenson, Lwazi Madi, Gareth May, Chad Roman, Ross Stone, Jonathan Swanepoel, Dane Tucker, Sven van Zyl, Niall Wheeler
