Pieter Coetzé does not do things by half measures. On Saturday night at Tollcross, the 22-year-old lowered his own Commonwealth Games record for the third time in as many swims this week, touching in 24.18 to claim gold in the men’s 50m backstroke. Four years after leaving Birmingham with silver in this event, he made sure this time his hand hit the wall first.
It capped a three-medal night for South African swimming. Ruard van Renen took bronze in the same final in 24.51, his first individual major medal at a senior global meet. Moments later Erin Gallagher added a silver in the women’s 50m butterfly, touching in 25.57 behind Australia’s Alex Perkins, matching the medal she won in this event four years ago.
Pieter Coetzé’s swim was the standout. He shaved his own record down from 24.45 in the heats to 24.29 in the semifinal to 24.18 in the final, a swim just one-hundredth off his own African record.
He already has a 4x100m freestyle bronze from Friday night in the bag, and now turns to the 200m backstroke on Sunday, chasing the kind of backstroke sweep few swimmers at this meet can even threaten.
“Three Games records in three swims and he still had more in the tank. Congrats on your 50m Gold, Pieter!” – 🎙️Jay
There was less joy for South Africa in the men’s 100m breaststroke final. Michael Houlie, who set the pace early with a blistering opening 50m split, faded to finish seventh in 1:00.35, with Chris Smith eighth in 1:00.79.
Chad le Clos, already the most decorated male athlete in Commonwealth Games history after his relay bronze on Friday, booked his spot in Sunday’s 100m butterfly final, going 52.35 to advance as the eighth-fastest qualifier. Calvyn Justus, back at his first Games in a decade after a herniated disc injury that once left him unable to walk, qualified for Sunday’s 50m freestyle final with a personal best 21.86.
Olivia Nel is also through to Sunday, finishing third in her 100m backstroke semifinal in 1:00.48 to rank fifth overall. And in the women’s 100m breaststroke, South Africa will have three finalists on Sunday night after Aimee Canny, Kaylene Corbett and Rebecca Meder all advanced.
One gold, one silver, one bronze on the night, and a queue of South African swimmers lining up behind them for Sunday. Pieter Coetzé set the tone. The rest are chasing it.
📸 Images via Getty Images / SA Swimming
