Coetzé wraps up World Aquatics Champs in style

PIETER Coetzé equalled Roland Schoeman’s record for claiming three medals at a long-course world championship, wrapping up his World Aquatics Championships campaign in Singapore with a surprise 50m silver on Sunday, to go with his earlier 100m gold and 200m silver.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

The achievement was made more remarkable by the fact that Coetzé does not specifically train for the 50m race. The 21-year-old became the only man to reach the podium in all three backstroke events at the championships, heralding his arrival as an Olympic medal hopeful in multiple events.

His performances will only fan expectations of a return to glory for South African swimmers at the LA Games — something that had seemed unlikely in the buildup to the showpiece.

Coetzé lined up for the 50m final as the third-fastest qualifier behind two Russians — world record-holder Kliment Kolesnikov and Pavel Samusenko — after setting an African record in Saturday’s semifinal.