By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Anton Geyser/Team SA.
Pieter Coetzé clocked a 51.77 in the Men’s 100m Backstroke final, to set a new African Record and a new Commonwealth Games Record, earning him his third gold medal of Glasgow 2026.
Coetze wasn’t far off the world record, either, approaching the 51.60 time set by Italy’s Thomas Ceccon in 2022.
England’s Oliver Morgan took silver in 52.66, with Coetze’s compatriot Ruard van Renen completing the podium in third at 53.31.
“When you’ve reached a high level in the sport and you’ve shown yourself the times you are able to swim, like I did last year, it gives me a lot of confidence and allows me to surrender to the process,” Coetze said. “When you think too much or you force it too much, it’s easy to not perform at your best, because you’re not relaxed. You need to be relaxed to perform at the top level.”
Christian Sadie joined the winner’s podium, comfortably taking gold for South Africa in the Men’s 50m freestyle S7 final with a new Commonwealth Games record time of 28.06.
Singapore’s Wei Soong Toh claimed silver and England’s Bruce Dee bronze.
Earlier, Kaylene Corbett swam the race of her career to go one better than her 2022 bronze medal with a heroic silver behind Scotland’s Angharaad Evans to claim her first medal in Glasgow.
Corbett came on strongly in the second half to clock 2:24.46. Aimee Canny finished 5th in 2:25.05, with Rebecca Meder 8th in 2:30.25.