Singapore – July 29, 2025
Pieter Coetzé claimed South Africa’s first medal at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday evening, winning gold in the men’s 100m backstroke final.
Coetzé clocked a time of 51.85 seconds, improving on his own African record of 51.99, which he set just two weeks earlier when he won gold at the World University Games in Germany. The result also marks his first senior world title.
The final was closely contested, with Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon of Italy finishing second in 51.90, and France’s Yohann Ndoye Brouard taking bronze in 51.92. All three swimmers broke the 52-second barrier in a tightly packed finish.
Coetzé’s path to the final saw him face strong competition. In the heats, he placed third in his race with a time of 52.80, behind Hungary’s Hubert Kós and Italy’s Christian Bacico. Despite the fast pace of the heat compared to others, Coetzé’s result saw him placed in Lane 6 for the semifinal.
He improved his time to 52.29 seconds in the semifinal, narrowly behind Kós, who touched in 52.21, giving Coetzé the second qualifying spot from his race.
Building on his recent form, which includes three medals at the World University Games, Coetzé delivered his fastest swim in the final. His time of 51.85 secured the gold and confirmed his position among the top backstrokers in the field.
The result not only represents Coetzé’s first medal at a senior World Championships, but also gets South Africa onto the medal table in Singapore.
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Confident Coetzé leads the charge for SA’s world champs swimming squad in Singapore
