Pieter Coetze sets new African record; Leon Marchand wins 200 IM

At the second stop of the 2024 World Championships, Pieter Coetze beat his own African record in the 50-meter backstroke. Coetze, the only man in the race to manage under 23 seconds, managed to touch the wall in 22.80, 0.04 seconds shy of his own previous record set at the 2022 Short Course World Championships.

He was followed by Australian Isaac Cooper and Swiss swimmer Thierry Bolin, who took silver and bronze with 23.10 and 23.20 respectively.

This victory went to Coetze after he was two tenths of a second shy of gold in Shanghai. The 20-year-old took silver in 22.95 as Isaac Copper came first.

Coetze also showed convincing performances in the 200 meter backstroke. In Shanghai he set his new personal best with a time of 1:50 (1:49.12). His timing brought him close to the African record set by 2006 Commonwealth champion George Du Rand, who clocked 1:47.08 in the short distance race. On the first day in Incheon, he won gold again in the 200-meter dash in 1:50.05.

Leon Marchand wins the 200-meter IM

After setting a new European and World Cup record in Shanghai, Leon Marchand continues to keep his pace high in the 200 meter IM. After strong competition from Duncan Scott, he emerged victorious in 1:50.91. Marchand took the lead in the breaststroke in 0.49 seconds and maintained the fastest time over the final 25 minutes, securing a podium finish. He was the only swimmer to break under 1:50 in the race.

Scott, representing Great Britain, finished second in 1:51.25, while Daiya Seto of Japan took bronze in 1:52.36.

ForbesRegan Smith sets a new world record in the 100-meter backstrokeFrom Paras J. Haji

Siobhan Haughey wins 200 meter freestyle

It was no surprise that Siobhan Haughey took gold in the 200 meter freestyle. The 26-year-old dominated the race from the start and touched the wall in 1:51.02. Brittany Castelluzzo, who was three seconds away, took second place at 1:54.11. Milla Jansen from Australia also secured a podium place with a time of 1:54.98. With this performance, she improved her previous performance in Shanghai by tenths of a second. She took gold at the first stop in 1:51.46, followed by Canada’s Mary Harvey in 1:53.36.

With many athletes, including Sarah Sjostrom, absent from the World Cup, Haughey has also won gold in both 100-meter backstroke events at both stops so far.