Pieter Coetze Looking to Cap Breakout Year at U.S. Open

Pieter Coetze Looking to Cap Breakout Year with Strong Performances at U.S. Open

A latest ballot carried out by Swimming World revealed Pieter Coetze because the readers’ alternative for Male Breakout Swimmer of the Year. The South African picked up 51% of the vote, outdistancing Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi (24%) and the United States’ Luca Urlando (20%). Given the way in which Coetze carried out finally summer time’s World Championships in Singapore, his choice was not shocking.

Although Coetze was acknowledged as an rising star forward of the World Champs, his performances in Singapore elevated the 21-year-old to a different stage. At Worlds, Coetze shared the silver medal within the 50 backstroke with Russia’s Pavel Samusenko, as each males touched the wall in 24.17. Meanwhile, he gave Hungarian Hubert Kos all he might deal with within the 200 backstroke, incomes one other silver medal. Kos took prime honors in 1:53.19, barely forward of the 1:53.36 of Coetze.

However, it was the 100 backstroke the place the South African shined best. Racing in a stacked discipline, Coetze secured the gold medal with a mark of 51.85, quick sufficient to defeat Italy’s Thomas Ceccon (51.90), the reigning Olympic champion. Coetze, who set an African file in every backstroke occasion, now ranks because the No. 3 performer in historical past.

This week, Coetze will compete within the United States and look to generate further momentum forward of the 2026 season. In addition to contesting all three backstroke occasions on the U.S. Open, Coetze is entered within the 100 freestyle. He owns a greatest time of 47.88 in that occasion. At the University of Texas, the positioning of the meet, Coetze is taking a look at three conferences with Kos, and matchups with American Shaine Casas.

The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow determine to be Coetze’s greatest competitors for the approaching 12 months. At the 2022 version of the Commonwealth Games, Coetze was the gold medalist within the 100 backstroke, earned silver within the 50 backstroke and was the bronze medalist within the 200 backstroke.

U.S. Open Psych Sheets