Pieter Coetze keeps medal hopes alive by sneaking into final

Former world junior champion Pieter Coetze sneaked into the men’s 200m backstroke final on Thursday night, grabbing the last available spot at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha.

Coetze clocked 1:57.07 to finish eighth overall in the semifinals, progressing to the medal contest to be held on Friday evening.

Earlier, in the morning session, the 19-year-old South African was third fastest in the heats after touching the wall in 1:57.90.

Other results

In other events, Erin Gallagher and Matthew Randle were eliminated in their first-round heats.

Gallagher, who finished seventh in the 100m butterfly final earlier at the showpiece, settled for 18th overall in the opening round of the 100m freestyle in 55.36. She missed out on a place in the semifinals by 0.15.

Randle was 22nd in the 200m breaststroke heats in 2:16.10, and he too fell short of a spot in the penultimate round.

Day six

A total of six SA swimmers will be in action in first-round heats on Friday morning, on day six of competition in the pool at the global showpiece.

Gallagher lines up in the 50m butterfly, Chad le Clos and Matthew Sates are in the 100m butterfly, Clayton Jimmie goes in the 50m freestyle, Hannah Pearse is in the 200m breaststroke and Dune Coetzee will turn out in the 800m freestyle.