After winning World Cup, swimmer Pieter Coetzé targets World Championships

Pieter Coetzé, the South African swimmer who triumphed at the Swimming World Cup, is optimistic about his upcoming challenge at the World Short Course Championships in Beijing in December. Coetzé, a 22-year-old, dominated the three-leg World Cup campaign, securing eight gold medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events. He set a world record of 22.09 seconds in the 50m backstroke short-course during the second leg of the series in Uzbekistan.

Additionally, he improved his African and continental records in the 100m backstroke during the first and third legs in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, respectively.

After the third leg in Kazakhstan, Coetzé claimed the top spot in the men’s overall standings, amassing 172.9 points, surpassing Russian swimmer Egor Kornev, who finished second with 170.7 points. This victory marked Coetzé's fifth World Cup title, making him a standout performer in South African swimming alongside Chad le Clos, Cameron van der Burgh, Ryk Neethling, and Matthew Sates.

Coetzé admitted that winning the World Cup was one of the toughest challenges he has faced in his career, given the need for consistency and focus over three weeks. However, he expressed excitement and confidence ahead of the short-course championships, stating that his recent performances have bolstered his self-assurance. He acknowledged the heightened competition and the need to sharpen his focus, but affirmed his readiness to take on the challenge.