2025 Worlds, Day 2 African Recap: Coetze on the Hunt for Rare WUGS and Worlds Double

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

After a very strong showing at the World University Games earlier this month, where South Africa’s Pieter Coetze ripped a new Continental Record in the 100 back of 51.99, one could expect him to have a slight deflation as he attempted to make the arduous journey that is surviving the double taper.

Speaking to the South African Swimming Federation after he became the 8th fastest performer of all time in the event, Coetze said, “It wasn’t really expected at all. I didn’t really know what to expect to be fair, but to swim a 51 in the 100 backstroke was definitely unexpected and definitely boosted my confidence.”

At the World University Games Coetze was 53.34 in prelims and then 52.18 before eventually setting a new Championship record in the final at 51.99. In the prelims this morning, Coetze was 52.80, to place 7th, a strong swim considering the differing levels of competition. In the semifinals, he moved up to 3rd with his time of 52.29, which is not that far off his semis times, two weeks ago.

In the semis in Berlin, Coetze opened in 25.42, an identical split to what he performed tonight, as he again opened in 25.42. Of the eight finalists, Coetze was the 6th slowest to the first wall but had the fastest last 50 (26.87) to earn himself the 3rd seed in tomorrow’s final, where he will be chasing not only his own national record but also his first World medal in the event.

With the retirement of Tatjana Smith and the absence of Chad le Clos, much of South Africa’s swimming hopes have been placed on the shoulders of this 21-year-old. He won his first Senior International medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and then earned a bronze in the 200 back at the 2024 Doha Worlds. He made the final in both the 100 and 200 backstroke events in Paris, placing 5th and 7th, respectively.

If he were to win the 100 back tomorrow evening, then Coetze would be the first swimmer since Qin Haiyang in 2023 to win both the WUGS and World titles in the same year. His compatriot Tatjana Smith holds the distinction of being the first swimmer since 1992 to hold the WUGs, Worlds, and Olympic titles in one event at the same time, albeit winning them in different years.

Other Day 2 Continental News

• Rebecca Meder, after making the semifinals in the 200 IM yesterday, returned to the pool this morning, taking on the 100 breast. She did not earn a second swim as she placed 27th overall, but her time of 1:07.50 equals her own PB from the 2025 South African National Aquatic Championships. The national record holder in the 200 IM, Meder has a ways to go to catch Tatjana Smith‘s National Record of 1:04.82, but setting a new personal best and then matching it within the same season is a good start.

National Records

• Benin
  • Alexis Kpade: Men’s 100 Back – 57.25
• Kenya
  • Haniel Kudwoli: Men’s 100 Breast– 1:04.92
• Libya
  • Anas Ganedi: Men’s 100 Breast– 1:09.89
• Seychelles
  • Adam Moncherry: Men’s 50 Fly – 24.84
• Uganda
  • Jesse Ssengonzi: Men’s 50 Fly – 24.32
• Zambia
  •  Zach Moyo: Men’s 100 Breast – 1:05.64