Coetzee’s gamble pays off with stunning world title

SOUTH Africa’s young swim sensation Pieter Coetzé’s impressive recent spell in the pool continued with a gold medal in the 100m backstroke final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore yesterday.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

The new world champion stormed to the win, dipping below 52 seconds for the second time in the past two weeks. It was a victory that the Tuks psychology student felt was coming at some stage, though he admitted he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

The South African kicked with about 10m to go to take the title in 51.85 seconds, lowering his own South African and African record for the third time in quick succession. He narrowly missed out on the world record of 51.60.

Olympic champion and world record holder Thomas Ceccon of Italy took silver in 51.90, while Yohann Ndoye-Brouard of France claimed bronze in 51.95.

The 21-year-old Coetzé had posted the world lead in the 100m backstroke earlier this year, when he swam an African and World Student Games record time of 51.99 seconds in Germany— becoming only the eighth swimmer in history to go under 52 seconds in the event.