On the opening day of the SA National Swimming Championships in Gqeberha, Pieter Coetzé made a major statement by becoming the first swimmer to secure a World Aquatics Championships qualifying time.
The 20-year-old started his campaign with a solid 53.03 seconds in the 100m backstroke morning heat, dipping below the qualifying mark. In the final, he improved further, clinching victory with an impressive 52.71 seconds, ahead of Ruard van Renen.
Coetzé, who reached both the 100m and 200m backstroke finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was unsure about what to expect after not racing since October.
Reflecting on his performance, he said:
I was a bit scared of being a bit rusty, and I’m incredibly happy with that for now. This morning felt exceptionally smooth, so I knew I was going to dip under 53 [seconds]. It was just a question of how far I could go under 53. It would have been nicer to go even faster, but compared to what I was thinking might happen after so many months of not racing, this is amazing, and I’ll take it.
Coetzé added that the performance had given him a boost of confidence, especially as he now turns his attention to the 50 and 200m backstroke and the 50 and 100m freestyle events later in the championships.
In the women’s 100m backstroke, 17-year-old Jessica Thompson claimed the title in a tight race with Milla Drakopoulos. Thompson emerged victorious in 1:01.68, with Drakopoulos just behind in 1:01.92.
Rebecca Meder, who is typically known for the individual medley, continued to establish herself as a breaststroke contender. The New Zealand-based swimmer capitalized on the absence of retired Tatjana Schoenmaker and the injured Lara van Niekerk to win her first national 100m breaststroke title in a time of 1:07.50. Meder, who had a limited appearance at last year’s championships due to a ruptured appendix, shared her thoughts:
It was a little bit nerve-wracking because I haven’t raced here in a while, and you don’t know what other people can do. I always joke and say my appendix left my body and I became a breaststroker, so I’m really enjoying getting into the breaststroke events.
The men’s 100m breaststroke final saw a thrilling contest between World Short Course Championship finalists Michael Houlie and Chris Smith. However, it was 19-year-old Smith who triumphed in 1:01.57, with Houlie (1:01.79) and Matthew Randle (1:01.82) finishing close behind.
Matthew Sates, who is competing in 10 events over the course of the week, kicked off his campaign by successfully defending his national 200m freestyle title with a time of 1:47.49. Sates recently returned from a training stint in Switzerland and is expected to be a major contender in several other events.
The women’s 200m freestyle final was another exciting race, with defending champion Aimee Canny, Duné Coetzee, and Meder battling it out in the closing meters. Coetzee claimed the win in 1:59.09, edging out Meder (1:59.38) and Canny (1:59.48).
Coetzee expressed her joy after the race:
I always love racing with all of them. I’ve been racing with Aimee and Becky since I was super little, so it's always nice having them there with me. I tried to just take it out a little bit calmer in the first half of the race and then let go in the last little bit. It was great, such a fun race, and I'm so close to a best time, so I’m happy with that.
In the Para-swimming events, several swimmers delivered standout performances. Kat Swanepoel set new senior national records, first in the SB4 50m breaststroke with a time of 1:07.54 and later in the S5 100m backstroke final with a national mark of 1:53.91. Alani Ferreira also impressed, setting a new SB12 50m breaststroke record with a time of 38.76 seconds.
With swimming action continuing at the Newton Park Swimming Pool through Sunday, the championships promise more exciting performances as South Africa’s top swimmers aim for glory on the national stage.
