Team SA swimmer Pieter Coetze was again among the medals as the second leg of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup came to a conclusion in Incheon, South Korea, on Saturday.
Having won eight medals in Shanghai a week earlier, a further five were added to that tally in Incheon to take it to 13, spread across three swimmers – Coetze (7), Rebecca Meder (4) and Chad Le Clos (2).
Coetze doubled up on the 100m backstroke gold that he won last week in Sghanghai when he touched 49.35, which was a lifetime best national short-course record. In Incheon on Saturday evening he was slightly off that mark, but still went under 50 seconds again in taking gold in 49.93, seeing off Kacper Stokowski of Poland (50.17).
There is one remaining leg in the series after the meets in Shanghai and Incheon. Singapore plays host this coming week.
SA’S MEDALS AFTER 2 OF THE 3 LEGS
(5) Gold
Pieter Coetze (50m backstroke, 100m backstroke x2, 200m backstroke x 2)
(3) Silver
Pieter Coetze (50m backstroke)
Chad Le Clos (100m, 200m butterfly)
(5) Bronze
Pieter Coetze (men’s 100m freestyle x2)
Rebecca Meder (100m breaststroke)
Rebecca Meder (200m breaststroke)
Rebecca Meder (200m individual medley)
Words by Gary Lemke
File photo of Pieter Coetze by Anton Geyser