Pieter Coetzé wins 50m backstroke heat on quest for third medal
The 21-year-old, who misjudged his pace in the 200m backstroke heats where he only just squeezed into the semifinals in the final 16th spot, made no mistake in the one-lap sprint.
He stormed into the lead soon after the halfway mark and he never looked like surrendering it before touching in 24.36 to match the personal best he had posted in 2023.
His time, just two-100ths of a second off Gerhard Zandberg's 2009 national record, ranked him second overall heading into the evening semifinals behind Russian Kliment Kolesnikov in 24.08. Kolesnikov holds the 23.55 world record he set in 2023.
Australia's defending champion Isaac Cooper, whose national mark stands at 24.12, made it through in 14th place in a comfortable 24.80.
A third medal for Coetzé, who has won the 100m backstroke gold and 200m silver, would see him join Roland Schoeman as the only South Africans to win three medals at a single world championships.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
Coetzé is only the second SA swimmer to win three gold medals at World Champs
Coetzé is only the second SA swimmer to win three gold medals at World Champs Pretoria's newest swimming sensation, Pieter Coetzé, will probably have to explain at airports why his luggage is heavier when he returns to South Africa from the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The reason? He has a lot more baggage in the form of precious metals to bring home. This comes after Coetzé added three medals to his collection following his stellar performance in Singapore. These achievements follow just a few days after he also won three medals – two gold and one silver – at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany the previous week. 🚨 NEW AFRICAN RECORD ALERT! 🚨 Pieter Coetzé powers to 2nd place in the men's 200m backstroke final with a blistering 1:53.36 a brand new African Record! ⚡ SILVER MEDAL SECURED! 🥈#TeamSA #ForMyCountry — Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) August 1, 2025 Coetzé will be able to testify that good things happen in threes after winning a silver medal in the 50m backstroke at the World Championships in Singapore on Sunday. With this achievement, the Tuks psychology student is only the second South African swimmer to win three medals at a World Championships. He is the 100m backstroke champion and was second in the 200m backstroke. He is the only man to reach the podium for all three backstroke events at these championships. Roland Schoeman won the 50m freestyle and breaststroke events at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal and was second in the 100m freestyle. But that's not where Coetzé's story ends with three. In the space of seven days, he improved during the World Championships the African record in the 50m backstroke (24.17s), 100m backstroke (51.85s) and the 200m backstroke (1:53.36). He is currently the only swimmer in Africa to hold all three records in the same event at the same time. Actually, the only backstroke record that he has not yet bettered is the 200-metre short course event. On Sunday Coetzé lined up for the 50m final as the third fastest qualifier behind two Russians – world record-holder Kliment Kolesnikov and Pavel Samusenko. On Saturday, during the semifinal, he set an African record. He went even quicker in the final, powering across the pool in another continental record time of 24.17 seconds to share the silver with Samusenko, who touched in precisely the same time, with Kolesnikov taking the gold in a championship record of 23.68 seconds. Kolesnikov sets a new Championship Record with Coetze taking 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑 in a dead heat 🥈🔥 📺 Stream #AQUASingapore25 on DStv: — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 3, 2025 'I don't think I've ever tied in a final at this level, so it's pretty cool. I'm thrilled. I don't really train for the 50, I train for the 200, so to be able to go down so far and win a medal in the 50 is amazing,' said a thrilled Coetzé afterwards during a poolside interview. On being only the second South African swimmer to win three medals at a World Championships, Coetzé was equally delighted. 'It's amazing. It's something I always dreamed of. I can see myself making strides towards becoming the swimmer I always knew I could be,' he remarked. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
OPINION: Pieter Coetze breaks through as SA's newest global swimming star
Last week, Coetze became the first South African in 20 years to earn three medals at a single edition of the World Aquatics Championships. After emerging as a real prospect a few years ago, Pieter Coetze experienced a couple of relatively stagnant seasons and it seemed unclear whether he would go on to achieve his apparently immense potential. However, following his performances at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore last week, the 21-year-old swimmer has proved he remains on track to become one of SA's all-time greats in the pool. In 2022, at the age of 18, Coetze claimed three medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and bagged five medals at the World Junior Championships in Lima, which earned the teenager the Sportsman of the Year accolade at the SA Sports Awards. And while he went on to secure bronze in the 200m backstroke at the World Championships in Doha last year, he missed out on a spot on the podium at the Olympic Games in Paris, achieving a best result of fifth place in the 100m backstroke final. But any concerns about his ability to beat the world's best were put to bed last week when Coetze delivered in spectacular fashion at the global championships. Pieter Coetze (centre) after winning gold in the 100m backstroke at the World Championships in Singapore. Picture: François-Xavier Marit/AFP Historic medal haul He earned gold in the 100m backstroke, as well as silver in the 50m and 200m backstroke events, becoming the first South African to earn three medals at an edition of the World Championships since Roland Schoeman achieved the feat in Montreal in 2005. In addition, Coetze broke new ground by shattering the African records over all three backstroke distances. In the 100m final he was particularly impressive. Aside from securing the world title, he touched the wall in 51.85, clocking the third fastest time in history over two lengths. He was just 0.25 outside the world record of 51.60 held by Thomas Ceccon of Hungary, who settled for second place in the final in Singapore in 51.90. With Tatjana Smith having retired and Chad le Clos having struggled to find his best form in the latter stages of his career, South Africa will need other swimmers to deliver in the hunt for medals at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. And Coetze looks set to lead the charge.
The Herald
13 hours ago
- The Herald
PE Sports Legends Trust celebrates 10 unsung heroines
The Port Elizabeth Sports Legends Trust again acknowledged Women's Month by celebrating the lives and contributions of 10 unsung heroines in sport, arts and culture at the weekend. The vibrant Royal Tea in the beautifully draped 19th on Fifth Conference Venue in Walmer was part of the trust's 10th anniversary celebrations. It was also the third Unsung Heroines event organised by the trustees and the organisation's women's committee. SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) chief executive Nosipho Jafta was the guest of honour for the evening. Jafta praised the trust's efforts in recognising women in sport, arts and culture. 'This is amazing, this is a beautiful event,' Jafta said. 'It's always good for women to celebrate each other, to have this kind of event in Gqeberha, celebrating other women. 'I'm from Gqeberha and feel honoured to be part of this event. 'We need to do more of such events, because mothers are always known to be nation builders and this event to me is exactly that. 'We are honouring women who do not stand in front of cameras, who do not want to be praised, who don't want any accolades, they just want to be heard and seen. 'Today, we are saying to them, we see you, and it's beautiful to give people their flowers while they can still smell them, because in most cases we celebrate each other when we are no more. 'I support this initiative because I believe people must be honoured, they must be told that we are grateful for the work that they do in their communities.' Elizabeth 'Biffy' Joubert was acknowledged for her service in creating water safety awareness, as well as for many years of training educators in the skills of teaching swimming. Ursula Petersen was also honoured for having dedicated a lifetime to water skills training in the community. Truda Plaatjies, who obtained provincial hockey colours in her playing days, was honoured for her contributions to the less prominent sport of squash. Over many years, Plaatjies devoted time and energy to fostering the game at all levels. Besides being an active player, she also obtained her coaching qualification and served the province as a coach at various levels. Also honoured was Luyanda Matomela Siwisa, a top athlete who went on to serve Cowan High School for 28 years. As an educator, she went above and beyond the call of duty, producing several leading athletes and netball players, many of whom went on to gain provincial and national colours. Carol Munger was honoured for her contribution to hockey in the region. A familiar figure on the fields of Gelvandale for the Rangers Club during her playing career, she then took on a new role and served diligently over many years as the manager of EP teams. Also recognised was Rina van Zyl, who without any fanfare was involved in the welfare of young golfers, particularly in giving opportunities where previously denied. She has the distinction of being the only woman chair of a golf club, the Fairview Golf Club. Fiona Rodell was honoured for having dedicated six decades of her life to keeping the spirit of Spanish dancing alive. She has won the prestigious Molina Award an incredible 17 times. A legend in the world of dance, Maureen Gardner, was also recognised. She has enjoyed a dance career spanning 50 years, winning two SA titles with her husband, Sylvester, along the way. She actively promotes and teaches the art of dance in the community. Pinky Nkanunu was recognised as a lifelong activist for justice, equality and transformation in sport. Her quiet background efforts served as inspiration to her late husband, Silas, who was a former SA Rugby Union president. A poignant moment was the special dedication to the late Chakeera Dolley, who was honoured by the trust in 2024 for her contribution to the sport of volleyball. Another highlight was the special award presented by trustee Graeme Sauls to Barbara Gunn-Manna, who is a well-known personality in the soccer world. Her work to keep the history of the game alive via social media platforms is well-known and traverses the continents. The Herald
