Olympian-turned-para coach Theo Verster eyes medals as R170m Pietermaritzburg AquaPark nears completion

With many municipal pools across South Africa falling into disrepair, finding a proper 50-metre facility to train and compete in has become a major hurdle for swimmers. But a new wave of hope is rising in Pietermaritzburg with Aqua Park, a state-of-the-art, R170 million aquatic centre set to transform the future of both Olympic and Paralympic swimming in the country. Leading the charge is Theo Verster, former Olympian and now head coach of South Africa’s Paralympic swimming team. The facility, featuring world-class Myrtha pool technology, promises not only elite training standards but also broad community access to nurture new talent and keep South Africa competitive on the global stage. Verster, who represented the country at the Beijing Olympics before transitioning to coaching, says para sport is one of the fastest growing sports in South Africa. He believes Aqua Park, scheduled to be completed in mid-December, will be a critical springboard to return the nation’s swimmers to their former medal-winning heights.

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Edited transcript of the interview

Linda van Tilburg (00:39.911)

Competitive swimmers in South Africa are increasingly struggling to find proper 50-metre pools for training and competitions. The root issue is funding, with municipal budgets insufficient to maintain or build new pools. However, Pietermaritzburg is emerging as a beacon of hope with a R170 million aquatic park to train the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic swimmers. To tell us more about that, we have Theo Verster, the head coach of South Africa’s Paralympic swimming team, who is actively involved in shaping the centre, here in the studio. Hi, Theo, and welcome to BizNews.

Theo Verster (01:19.195)

Thank you very much, Linda. I really appreciate the opportunity.

Linda van Tilburg (01:23.575)

Before we start, I spoke to a mother of competitive swimmers who shared her concerns about finding a proper 50-metre long-distance pool. She highlighted a few issues: in Pretoria, the Hillcrest municipal pool is empty; in Johannesburg, Ellis Park is severely neglected, with grass growing from cracks in the pool; and in Gauteng, there’s no FINA-accredited 50-metre pool. She said the Western Cape is faring better, and Durban’s Kings Park is undergoing renovations. The only fully functional long-course pools, she noted, are in Port Elizabeth and at Cape Town’s UWC. Is this the dire situation you’ve found regarding the availability of swimming pools in South Africa?

Theo Verster (02:12.502)

Unfortunately, that’s the reality we’re facing in South Africa right now. There’s been some funding to try to uplift centres, but refurbishing facilities is a short-term and tedious solution that often leads to further issues due to budget constraints. When I got involved with Aqua Park, we saw the situation and felt that building a proper swimming facility from the ground up was essential for the aquatic community in South Africa, including swimmers, water polo players, divers, and synchronised swimmers. 

We want to cater to as many people as possible at Aqua Park. After extensive research, instead of building a traditional pool, we purchased one from Myrtha, the world’s leading pool technology provider. They supply pools for Olympic and Paralympic events and world championships with an impeccable track record. The Myrtha pool is an above-ground stainless steel structure, which, from a long-term maintenance perspective, is easier and more cost-effective to upkeep.

While it’s more expensive initially, over the years, issues like leaks can be fixed affordably on the spot. This was a key consideration when we did our calculations. From Aqua Park’s perspective, we want every South African swimmer or aquatic athlete to have the opportunity to train in the Rolls-Royce of swimming pools, so when they travel abroad, they can proudly say they’ve prepared in a world-class facility in their own backyard, whether for major meets or full-time training. That’s what we’re aiming to bring to the South African aquatic community.

Linda van Tilburg (05:17.407)

So, what facilities will Aqua Park provide to get swimmers to Olympic and Paralympic level?

Theo Verster (05:26.452) 

The main advantage is its location at St Charles, a well-known school in Pietermaritzburg that offers boarding. It’s situated between St Charles and St John’s Girls’ School, which also has boarding facilities, with Varsity College nearby. The goal is to uplift the entire Pietermaritzburg and uMgungundlovu precinct while ensuring that athletes have access to education, which is a priority for us. We’re pushing a business model where young athletes can join the school and stay until they complete their degree.

No other facility in South Africa currently offers this kind of integrated model. That’s why I was thrilled to get involved - it allows us to plan long-term, bringing in athletes and supporting them over years, not just for short periods.

Linda van Tilburg (06:47.81)

Apart from availability for the school and its students, who else will be able to use it?

Theo Verster (06:53.686)

This facility is open to everyone. We built it on the school premises because we secured the property, but it’s designed for the whole community. We’re inviting clubs to train or base themselves there, and we hope national training groups will use it for preparation, especially during winter when conditions are colder inland. The pool is temperature-regulated year-round, ensuring optimal training conditions for outgoing teams.

We’re also looking at international teams coming for training camps, which will provide educational opportunities for local coaches to learn from international ones. This is a multifaceted facility, catering not just to top Olympians and Paralympians but right down to the community level. It’s a community-driven project, and we want every person in Pietermaritzburg to have access to it, not just elite athletes.

Linda van Tilburg (08:45.877)

With fewer municipal swimming pools available, one issue in South Africa has been encouraging more black people to take up swimming. Do you think this facility could attract more girls and boys to the sport?

Theo Verster (09:00.872)

Absolutely. Many swimming clubs are already doing phenomenal work with outreach programmes, educating young girls and boys in swimming and water safety. That was a big focus for us, and we’ll carry this forward at Aqua Park, ensuring swimming is taught as a life skill. We want to educate people about the dangers of water while making them water safe. Through this, we hope to spark greater public interest. The infrastructure is there -we’ll have coaches and clubs at Aqua Park to support anyone who wants to pursue swimming further.

This facility is built for South Africa, and we need to utilise it. Few indoor facilities can boast what Aqua Park will offer. The Myrtha pool has a bulkhead, allowing us to split it into two 25-metre pools, both ratified at a World Aquatics level for short-course events. We can host two water polo matches simultaneously for school-level games or one international-standard match. The pool’s versatility means we can meet diverse needs, and starting from scratch allows us to engage with the community to address their specific requirements, ensuring we give back.

Linda van Tilburg (11:12.28)

There’s been a trend of South African swimmers starting their careers here but leaving for places like America as they improve. Tatiana Smith is an exception. Are you hoping to keep more swimmers in the country?

Theo Verster (11:29.014)

That’s a tough question, as it depends on individual choices. However, with better facilities, we can encourage swimmers to stay local. We have some of the best coaches in the world, producing results at an international level, so it’s definitely achievable. The lack of facilities has been a challenge, but with Aqua Park, we’re pioneering a facility of this magnitude. We hope it will inspire others with a vision for aquatics in South Africa to invest in similar projects, making pools like this viable and helping us retain more talent locally.

Linda van Tilburg (12:45.017)

When will it be completed?

Theo Verster (12:47.616)

We’re ahead of schedule despite over 50 days of rain delays. Our professional team, from builders to engineers, has done a phenomenal job. Last week, Ricardo from Myrtha Pools conducted an audit, and we requested the pool be shipped two weeks earlier than planned, originally set for 31 July. Hopefully, this will speed things up. Our target is to have water in the pool by mid-December for swimmers to start training.

We’re pushing hard, and with our professional team, we’re on track. The international builders will assemble the pool soon, and the roof is going up next week, already being assembled on-site. It’s exciting times, and I’m looking forward to hosting galas and showcasing true South African spirit, because that’s what we’re all about - pulling together.

Linda van Tilburg (14:29.082)

Theo, let’s look at your background. You’re a former competitive national and international swimmer and now head coach of South Africa’s Paralympic swimming team. What’s in the pipeline for them?

Theo Verster (14:43.03)

I’ve been truly blessed. I swam internationally for South Africa for 15 years, holding numerous South African and African records and competing at the 2003 Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and several world championships. After retiring in 2004, I began coaching able-bodied and para swimmers. By 2006, I was coaching para-athletes full-time, travelling with them to world championships. My first Paralympics was in 2008 in Beijing, where Shireen Shapiro won gold, cementing my commitment to giving back to the sport. I coached at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris with phenomenal swimmers and am blessed to continue working with them, taking a team to Singapore for the World Championships in September.

For the para community, this facility means accessibility, which is a major focus. That’s how I got involved - I was initially consulted about ablutions for para-athletes and fell in love with the project. Over a year later, as CEO of Aqua Park, I’m involved daily, knowing our para-athletes and aquatic community will get the best facilities. South Africa has phenomenal athletes, and we need to start looking after them. 

Linda van Tilburg (16:57.764)

Apart from the World Championships in Singapore, are you looking ahead to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028?

Theo Verster (17:09.142)

Absolutely. We started planning for 2028 over eight years ago and already have plans for 2032 and 2036. We’re focusing on talent scouting, particularly for young up-and-coming swimmers. Swimming South Africa has strong systems for able-bodied athletes, and we’re now gaining momentum on the para side, aiming to return to our former glory with multiple medals. Para swimming is one of the fastest-growing professional sports globally over the last 12 to 16 years. Many of our athletes balance full-time work with training, unlike some international competitors who are full-time professionals, but we’re catching up rapidly. A facility like Aqua Park will make a huge difference, allowing us to nurture talent from grassroots learn-to-swim programmes through to varsity level, ensuring we harness and support our athletes to compete at their best for South Africa.