Pieter Coetze shatters 50m backstroke short-course world record in Tashkent

During a World Aquatics World Cup event in Tashkent, Pieter Coetze of South Africa recorded 22.09 seconds in the 50m backstroke, establishing a new short-course world record and surpassing Kliment Kolesnikov's 22.11 set in Kazan in 2022. The 22-year-old, already a 100m backstroke world champion, described the moment as almost unbelievable. Kolesnikov competed in the same race but finished sixth with 22.88, while Russia's Egor Kornev took second place in 22.29 after a mistimed finish.

Coetze emphasized that the record will not change his approach, noting the tight competition at the elite level. The 50m backstroke is slated to appear for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The short-course world championships will move to Beijing from December 1-6.