Coetze rakes in fourth gold medal at SA Swimming Champs

Continuing his domestic dominance in the pool, 19-year-old Pieter Coetze added another title to his rapidly growing collection on Thursday night by winning the men’s 100m backstroke final on day four of the SA Swimming Championships in Gqeberha.

Coetze completed the two-length race in 52.89 seconds, touching the wall just 0.11 outside his own national record (52.78) as he again dipped under the qualifying standard for this year’s Paris Olympics, as he had done in the morning heats.

He finished comfortably clear of Ruard van Renen, who took second place in 54.50, with Henju Duvenhage grabbing third spot in 55.25.

“My body’s starting to feel the racing, so to get under 53 seconds was nice,” Coetze said after the race.

“Obviously it would have been nice to get a PB (personal best) and the record, but going under 53, I have to be happy with that.”

Olympic preparation

The only South African medallist at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Coetze has been tipped as one of the country’s best podium prospects for the Paris Olympics in July.

He was pleased with the form he was showing in the early stages of the season, and he credited his support base in Pretoria for his success thus far in 2024, which included four gold medals over the first four days of competition in Gqeberha.

“My whole life has to be consistent. My recovery, my training, everything,” he said.

“But I’ve got such a nice setup at Tuks. The whole team is so supportive and I’m really having fun there. I think that’s the most important thing.”

Other results

In other men’s finals last night, Matthew Caldwell won the men’s 400m freestyle in 3:54.27 and Kian Keylock triumphed in the men’s 400m individual medley in 4:25.06.

Among the women, 17-year-old prospect Milla Drakopoulos won the women’s 100m backstroke in 1:01.70, while Dune Coetzee took the women’s 400m freestyle in 4:09.43, and Dakota Tucker secured victory in the women’s 400m individual medley in 4:47.09.