Swimming | More gold for Coetze in Shanghai World Cup

Rising Team South Africa swimming star Pieter Coetze finished off his programme at the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai by taking gold in the 100m backstroke, where he touched ahead of Olympic and long-course world champion Thomas Ceccon.

Coetze, still only 20 and who has two Olympic Games appearances to his name, was winning his second gold of the three-day meet, to go with the silver he won in the 50m backstroke and the bronze in the 100m freestyle.

On Sunday Coetze stopped the clock at 49.35, slicing 0.25 off his previous African continental record of 49.60sec, set at the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne.

Rebecca Meder also had a memorable weekend, and she picked up her third bronze of the programme. The 22-year-old had quaified third quickest for the women’s 200m Medley and she went faster in the evening, touching in 2:07.72, which was over a second better than the heats.

Elsewhere, Matt Sates registered a did not start in the 400m Individual Medley.

South African swimmers finished with nine medals over the three days.

On the opening day in Shanghai, Coetzer had won gold in the men’s 200m backstrike, while Le Clos and Meder claimed bronze medals in the men’s 100m butterfly and women’s 200m breaststroke. Coetzer had broken his personal best in winning 200m backstroke gold, before finishing 0.20sec behind Australia’s Isaac Cooper in the 100m. His 22.95 was just shy of his national record.

The South African also picked up bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle on the second day, with Italian Thomas Ceccon taking gold.

Shanghai marked the first of three Swimming World Cup events on the 2024 schedule, with Incheon (Korea) and Singapore coming up over the next two weekends.

SA’S MEDALS IN SHANGHAI

(2) Gold

Pieter Coetze (100m, 200m backstroke)

(2) Silver

Pieter Coetze (50m backstroke)

Chad Le Clos (200m butterfly)

(5) Bronze

Pieter Coetze (men’s 100m freestyle)

Chad Le Clos (100m butterfly)

Rebecca Meder (100m breaststroke)

Rebecca Meder (200m breaststroke)

Rebecca Meder (200m individual medley)

Words: Gary Lemke

Archive photo of Pieter Coetze by Roger Sedres

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