Swimming Prodigy Pieter Coetzé Strikes Gold Five Times
Pretoria’s rising star, Pieter Coetzé, is making waves on the international stage with an astounding haul of five gold medals and one silver at the recent FINA World Cup events in Shanghai, China, and Incheon, Korea. Coetzé, only 20, displayed exceptional skill and resilience in the backstroke events, securing his place as one of the world’s leading talents in the sport.
The young swimmer captured gold in five out of the six possible events, missing only the top spot in the 50m backstroke in Shanghai, where he narrowly lost to Australian rival Isaac Cooper by a mere 0.02 seconds. Days later, however, Coetzé turned the tables in Korea, besting Cooper in a dramatic rematch and showcasing his competitive spirit. This remarkable comeback demonstrates his unyielding determination after a challenging Olympic Games earlier this year, where he missed the podium.
Having won eight medals in Shanghai a week earlier, a further five were added to that tally in Incheon to take it to 13, spread across three swimmers – Coetze (7), Rebecca Meder (4) and Chad Le Clos (2)
🇿🇦 Pieter Coetze steals the win in the men’s 50m backstroke with an amazing finish at the #SWC2024 pic.twitter.com/DeyDx8aaB7
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) October 26, 2024
Pretoria’s Swimming Prodigy Pieter Coetzé Strikes Gold Five Times in World Cup Triumph
| Medal Type | Swimmer | Event(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Gold (5) | Pieter Coetze | 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke (x2), 200m backstroke (x2) |
| Silver (3) | Pieter Coetze | 50m backstroke |
| Chad Le Clos | 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly | |
| Bronze (5) | Pieter Coetze | 100m freestyle (x2) |
| Rebecca Meder | 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley |
Coetzé’s victories were crowned by record-breaking times, setting a new African record in the 100m backstroke with a blazing 49.35 seconds in Shanghai, marking his first sub-50-second finish in a 25-metre pool. Not to be outdone, he repeated his world-class performance in Korea, clocking 49.93 seconds. His 200m backstroke time of 1:49.12 in Shanghai is also the fastest recorded globally this year, solidifying his position as a backstroke phenomenon.
Guiding Coetzé through these achievements is his dedicated coach, Rocco Meiring, head coach at TuksSwimming. Known for his composure and strategic mindset, Meiring has nicknamed Coetzé “Cool Hand Luke” for his uncanny ability to maintain calm under pressure. Coetzé credits his close bond with Meiring as a major factor in his success, describing him as a “servant leader” who is well-known and respected across the South African swimming community.
🚨 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 🚨
Pieter Coetze upsets Isaac Cooper to win the Men’s 50m Backstroke in 22.80 🇿🇦🏊♂️#SWC2024 pic.twitter.com/zlLkooB35f
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 25, 2024
Related Articles
