SA swim star Pieter Coetze toast of World University Games after 100m backstroke gold
outh African swim star Pieter Coetze continued to make a splash at the FISU World University Games in Germany at the weekend, breaking through the magical 52-second barrier in the 100m backstroke final on Friday night.
After clocking 47.88 while leading off South Africa's 400m freestyle relay on Thursday, the Tuks swimmer recorded his best time as he smashed the African record in Friday's 100m backstroke semi-finals with a time of 52.18.
Coetze held the previous African record courtesy of his 52.58 from the Paris Olympics final. His time in the University Games semi-final was also four-tenths of a second under the previous record of 52.60 that Ryosuke Irie set back in 2009.
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IOL News
13 minutes ago
- IOL News
Coetze's gamble pays off with stunning world title in Singapore
Pieter Coetzé celebrates winning gold in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Photo: Supplied Image: SSA South Africa's young swim sensation Pieter Coetzé's impressive recent spell in the pool continued with a gold medal in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Tuesday. The new world champion stormed to the win, dipping below 52 seconds for the second time in the past two weeks. It was a victory that the Tuks psychology student felt was coming at some stage, though he admitted he didn't expect it to happen so soon. The South African kicked with about 10m to go to take the title in 51.85 seconds, lowering his own South African and African record for the third time in quick succession. He narrowly missed out on the world record of 51.60. July 19th: World University Games 100m Backstroke Gold ✅ July 29th: World Aquatics Championships 100m Backstroke Gold ✅ July 29th In the span of ten days, Pieter Coetze wins both events and gets his first ever World Title! 🥇#AQUASingapore25 #Swimming — World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) July 29, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Olympic champion and world record holder Thomas Ceccon of Italy took silver in 51.90, while Yohann Ndoye-Brouard of France claimed bronze in 51.95. The 21-year-old Coetzé had posted the world lead in the 100m backstroke earlier this year, when he swam an African and World Student Games record time of 51.99 seconds in Germany—becoming only the eighth swimmer in history to go under 52 seconds in the event. There was a risk that those exertions would have taken too much out of the rising star to remain competitive at the Singapore showpiece. Thankfully for Coetzé, it gave him the sharpness he needed to pull off the win in a closely contested final few metres. 'I always thought it would happen eventually. In my mind, it was just a matter of time. To do it this year is amazing and I can't say it was expected, especially because it was a gamble going to the World University Games right before this. But it's working pretty well,' Coetzé said, in his post-race television interview. Speaking again a little later, he added: 'It was awesome. The competition was very deep here, so there were eight guys who could have won it. 'The (World) University Games prepped me really well. The guys went fast there as well. But I'm over the moon. It was anyone's game. I knew that going into it, and to get away with the win is awesome.' He said of the time he swam: 'Every time I break (the African record`0, I'm really happy with it. "I can't explain, but it was more about the win tonight than the time, so if I won with a second slower time, it would still be as good. I think in a final you don't really think about the time at all.' "𝑺𝑶𝑼𝑻𝑯 𝑨𝑭𝑹𝑰𝑪𝑨 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝑰𝑴 𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫 𝑨𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑷𝑺!" 🔥 🇿🇦 Pieter Coetze wins gold in the Men's 100m Backstroke 🥇#AQUASingapore25 | #SSSwimming — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2025 Coetzé had qualified third-fastest for the final, behind Hungary's Hubert Kós (52.21) and Russia's Kliment Kolesnikov (51.26). With the leading swimmers deadlocked with 25m to go, Coetzé produced a devastating burst of pace to surge to the wall and claim victory. The top three all finished under 52 seconds. He will return to the pool on Thursday for the heats and semi-final of the 200m backstroke — an event in which he won bronze at last year's World Championships. On Saturday, he is also set to compete in the 50m backstroke heats and semi-final. Meanwhile, South Africa's Chris Smith secured his place in the 50m men's breaststroke final in Singapore with a second-place finish in Tuesday's semi-final in an impressive time of 26.77, behind Koen de Groot of the Netherlands. The final is scheduled for Wednesday. Wednesday's programme will also see Olivia Nel, fresh from her four medals at the World University Games, lining up in the heats of the 50m backstroke. Matt Sates will take on the 200m individual medley and the South Africans will also be in action in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Rayners could lead Sundowns' charge for long awaited Caf glory
Iqraam Rayners of Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Mamelodi Sundowns will begin their MTN8 journey with a home fixture against Richards Bay FC at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday evening (18:00 kick-off), as they look to end a surprisingly long wait for domestic cup success. While the Tshwane giants have continued to assert themselves as kings of the Betway Premiership—securing a seventh successive league title—they've found cup competitions less forgiving in recent seasons. Their hunger to conquer African football has grown, but at home, they've had to settle for near misses. That's why lifting the MTN8 is expected to feature high on their to-do list this season. Their last domestic triumph came in this very competition in 2021/22, and by their high standards, that feels like a drought. The Brazilians bowed out in disappointing fashion in last year's MTN8, falling to Stellenbosch FC in both legs of the semi-final by a 1-0 scoreline. Since winning the MTN8 in 2021/22, however, they've added to their continental pedigree by winning the inaugural African Football League and retaining their league crown with relative ease. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The last time they reached a domestic final was their 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup of the 2023/24 season—another reminder that despite their league dominance, cup glory continues to elude them. Heading into his first full season in charge, head coach Miguel Cardoso will be eager to make an early statement by guiding the Chloorkop-based side to MTN8 glory. Much of that ambition will rest on the shoulders of in-form striker Iqraam Rayners. The Bafana Bafana forward made a seamless transition into the Sundowns setup after joining from Stellenbosch FC, and was one of the standout performers last season. Between league and cup competitions, Rayners bagged 24 goals and chipped in with nine assists. Alongside Brazilian star Lucas Ribeiro Costa, the pair gave opposing defences plenty to think about. Despite his prolific form, Rayners was surprisingly overlooked for the Premier Soccer League's Footballer of the Season award—a snub that didn't sit well with many observers. Still, the 29-year-old remains upbeat and focused. 'A lot of people did not believe in me, but I obviously believe in myself and the coaches and the players,' Rayners told the club's podcast. 'My first season I was happy to be at the club and doing my best.' While disappointed after seeing the list of nominees, Rayners took it in stride. 'I was a bit disappointed because I had a good season last season with a good team and good players and coaches believed in me. I was disappointed when I saw the players that were nominated.' With talk swirling around Ribeiro's potential departure, the timing could be right for Rayners to further stake his claim as a key figure for both Sundowns and Bafana Bafana. The upcoming MTN8 could serve as his personal and team platform to deliver silverware and silence any lingering doubt. More than that, the tournament serves as a pre-season springboard—an opportunity to kickstart the campaign in fine fashion and dominate not only the league but every front.
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
GOLD for South Africa's Pieter Coetzé in the pool in Singapore
Pieter Coetzé powered his way to South Africa's first medal of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, claiming gold in the 100m backstroke on Tuesday. The 21-year-old was third fastest in the semi-finals, but outduelled Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon and France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in the second half of the final to reach the wall in a sensationally quick new African record time of 51.85 seconds, just 0.25 of a second off Ceccon's world record. The Italian was second in 51.90 seconds, with Ndoye-Brouard third in 51.92 and 200m backstroke Olympic champion Hubert Kos relegated to fourth in 52.20. 'I always thought it would happen eventually,' admitted Coetzé afterwards during his poolside TV interview. 'In my mind, it was just a matter of time, but to do it this year is amazing.' Speaking again a little later, he added: 'It was awesome. The competition was very deep here, so there were eight guys who could have won it. 'The [World] University Games prepped me really well. The guys went fast there as well. But I'm over the moon. It was anyone's game. I knew that going into it and to get away with the win is awesome.' As for the time he swam, the TUKS psychology student added: 'Every time I break [the African record], I'm really happy with it. I can't explain, but it was more about the win tonight than the time, so if I won with a second slower time, it would still be as good. I think in a final, you don't really think about the time at all.' With one medal already in the bag, Coetzé still has the 50m and 200m backstroke events to come. Earlier in the evening, his team-mate Chris Smith booked his ticket to the final of the 50m breaststroke. The 19-year-old won his morning heat in 26.82 seconds and then went even better in the evening semifinals, finishing second in a personal best time of 26.77 seconds, behind Koen de Groot (26.71). That saw him through to Wednesday's final as the joint fifth fastest. The other South African in action in the evening session was Aimee Canny, who had finished third in her morning heat in 1:57.53 to qualify eighth fastest for the 200m freestyle semi-finals. She went slightly slower in the semi-final, finishing in sixth place in 1:57.72, so missing out on the final in 12th overall. Apart from Smith taking to the blocks for the 50m breaststroke final, Wednesday's programme will see Olivia Nel, fresh from her four medals at the World University Games, lining up in the heats of the 50m backstroke while Matt Sates will take on the 200m individual medley and the South Africans will be in action in the mixed 4x100m medley relay. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
