The 2024 Swimming World Cup series came to a conclusion in Singapore on Saturday, completing the three legs that had previously stopped at Shanghai and Incheon.
Yet again it was 20-year-old sensation Pieter Coetze who was the star act for South Africa, winning a tight race in the men’s 100m backstroke. He touched in 49.36sec. The South African was out in 24.04 on the opening 50m, marking the fastest split in the field. He then held on through the back half, fending off Italian Thomas Ceccon to win by 0.32 seconds.
In winning, Coetze was picking up his seventh gold of the series, with a hat-trick of titles in both the 100m and 200m backstroke.
Chad le Clos, who won the 200m butterfly gold medal on Friday, qualified for the final of the men’s 50m butterfly, where he finished eighth in 22.53sec. The winner was Switzerland’s Noe Ponti whose 21.64 was just off his World Record of 21.50, which he swam in the morning prelims. Ponti has been dominant in the 50m butterfly throughout this World Cup series.
Le Clos also qualified for the 100m backstroke, where he placed seventh behind Coetze in 51.42.
SOUTH AFRICA’S MEDALS WON IN THE 2024 WORLD CUP SERIES
(7) Gold
Pieter Coetze (50m backstroke, 100m backstroke x3, 200m backstroke x3)
Chad Le Clos (men’s 200m butterfly()
(4) Silver
Pieter Coetze (50m backstroke x2)
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)
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