Commonwealth Games, Day 6 Finals: Pieter Coetze Swims Second-Fastest 100 Backstroke Ever at 51.77, Completes Sweep
As the swimming’s final session at the Commonwealth Games began, all eyes were on 22-year-old South African Pieter Coetze. Already the gold medalist in the 50 and 200 backstroke, Coetze was aiming to complete a three-for-three meet in his signature stroke after crushing the Games record twice Tuesday, first going 52.20 in the semifinals before a 51.98 leading off South Africa’s mixed 400 medley relay team.
Coetze, already the reigning world champion and fourth-fastest man ever in the 100 back, put himself in position to take a crack at the world record, the 51.60 set by Italian Thomas Ceccon four years ago. Indeed, Coetze blasted the first 50 meters in 24.68, almost a half-second under world-record pace, and he looked strong heading down the back stretch. Ultimately, he paid the price in the closing strokes, touching in 51.77 to miss the record by 0.17.
Still, Coetze’s time was the second-fastest in history, a hundredth better than the 51.78 mixed relay leadoff from Russia’s Miron Lifintsev at last year’s World Championships. Coetze knocked eight hundredths off his previous African record of 51.85, but more importantly, he became the first male swimmer to win three individual golds in Glasgow. Australians Lani Pallister and Jenna Forrester are the women who have achieved those results, and Sam Short will have a shot at another three-peat in the 1500 freestyle later in Wednesday’s finals.
Coetze could still have another chance at getting the world record in Glasgow, but he would have to recover quickly before racing the leadoff leg of the South African men’s medley relay at the end of the session. Regardless of whether he can go faster or not, his time will be tough to beat for any of his international competitors racing at the upcoming European Championships or Pan Pacific Championships.
The rest of the field was a long way back of Coetze. England’s Oliver Morgan was the second-best swimmer throughout, going out in 25.23 to give himself a chance at a 52-low swim. Ultimately, he finished in 52.66 for silver. Morgan currently ranks No. 2 globally in the event behind Coetze with his 52.41 from the British Championships in April. South Africa earned another podium finish here with Ruard van Renen touching third in 53.31, just ahead of England’s Jack Sperry (53.43).
