Every four years, the Olympics captures the planet’s imagination as we witness superhuman feats of speed, strength, endurance, and determination from athletes who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of perfection. Outside Lane – on M-Net Channel 101 from Thursday 15 August at 20:00 – follows four South African swimmers in a quest for success that started decades before they boarded the plane to Paris for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad.
The four-part documentary – from School Ties, Steinheist, and Devilsdorp producers Idea Candy – shows us what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the sport in which South Africa has achieved its greatest Olympic success since readmission: the intensity of the training, the sacrifices to personal life; but perhaps most of all, the mindset that makes these athletes get up every morning and do it all over again.
Kaylene Corbett, Pieter Coetzé, Erin Gallagher, and Matthew Sates are not yet household names along the lines of Olympic legends like Penny Heyns, Ryk Neethling, Natalie du Toit, Roland Schoeman, Chad le Clos, or Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) – and Outside Lane follows this next generation of champions and their coach as they train for Paris 2024, bidding to claim their place alongside these sporting greats.
The coach behind generations of South African swimming talent is Rocco Meiring, Head Coach of Tuks Swimming at the University of Pretoria, who presides over what has come to be known as South Africa’s Pool of Gold. Meiring is one of the world's most strategic coaches across any sport, leveraging decades of experience and a no-nonsense approach to craft a squad with the potential to shine in Paris and produce future superstar athletes.
“The outside lane of the pool is the most difficult position to compete from, relative to the centre lanes. Swimmers need to work extra hard to overcome this disadvantage – a metaphor for the South African swimmers who have to go beyond to become world beaters,” explains Series Director Richard Finn Gregory. “Twenty-two percent of all our Olympic medals since readmission – 16 of 37 – were won in the pool, and we’re working with a fraction of the resources of teams like the USA. It shouldn’t be a fair fight but the indomitable South African spirit, incredible natural talent, and the world-class expertise of Coach Rocco all combine to deliver swimmers who are punching well above their weight”.
Episode 1 (15 August) introduces us to the Olympic hopefuls training with Coach Rocco at the Tuks pool. They follow in the footsteps of swimmers like the legendary Penny Heyns, who became the only woman to have won gold in both 100m and 200m breaststroke events (1996), at one point holding five world records; Terence Parkin, silver medallist at Sydney 2000 and the greatest hearing-impaired swimmer of all time; Ryk Neethling, a member of the Athens 2004 "Awesome Foursome" who snatched gold from the Michael Phelps-led USA team; and Tatjana Smith, the former world record holder and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist who proved that Coach Rocco’s techniques can take a home-grown athlete to the very pinnacle of the sport. These veterans share insights into the difficult path that faces the new generation of talent and the qualities of a great coach in leading them.
Episode 2 (22 August) looks at the "young guns" who are ready to step out of the shadows and make their mark on the global stage – personified by Matt Sates and Pieter Coetzé. Sates was on a stellar trajectory in the US college swimming circuit, when he needed to drop out and turn pro to be able to help support his family. Once referred to as “the next Michael Phelps”, he needs to work hard to maintain his potential into his 20s. Coetzé is a towering athlete who, just out of his teens, oozes a calm confidence and is a rising star on the international circuit. The World Aquatic Championships in February 2024 tests their ability to perform on the world stage, just months before they are due to do it all again at the Paris Olympics.
Episode 3 (29 August) explores the raw emotions and interpersonal dynamics in a tight-knit swimming squad. Rising stars and best friends Kaylene Corbett and Erin Gallagher have both experienced struggles with the mental toughness required to perform at the highest level. Their bond and their shared faith bring them the strength they need to overcome the final hurdle in securing their positions on the Olympic team: the South African National Champs in April 2024.
In the fourth and final episode (5 September), Coach Rocco puts the last pieces of the puzzle in place as he prepares his team for the Paris Olympics in July 2024. The athletes try to stay in the moment, but also reflect on life beyond the Olympics and beyond swimming – a perspective that is provided by veterans Heyns, Parkin, and Neethling. In Paris, a combination of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, self-filmed videos from the swimmers in the Olympic Village, and official coverage from inside the pool complex delivers an unprecedented insider’s view of the Olympics – including the intoxicating highs of success and the devastating lows of failure.
Outside Lane premieres on DStv Premium on M-Net (Channel 101) on Thursday 15 August at 20:00 and will also be available on DStv Catch Up and DStv Stream. Join the conversation on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok using #OutsideLaneSA.