Pieter Coetze Joins Exclusive Club in 100 Backstroke; Enhances Battle for World Title
Based on his past performances, including those at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, South Africa’s Pieter Coetze was viewed as a medal contender at the upcoming World Championships. But after what he has done so far at the World University Games in Berlin, expectations are now even higher for the 21-year-old.
En route to the gold medal on Saturday, Coetze joined an exclusive club in the 100-meter backstroke by becoming just the eighth athlete in history to break the 52-second barrier. Coetze accomplished the feat by the slimmest of margins, going 51.99 in the German capital. He still has the 50 backstroke and 200 backstroke on his World University Games schedule, and then will turn his attention to the World Champs in Singapore.
No one has ever gone sub-52 and been left off the podium in a major competition, so if Coetze can replicate his Berlin performance at Worlds, he’ll be in good position for a medal. If nothing else, he has ventured into unique territory and joined a list that includes Olympic champions Thomas Ceccon (2024), Evgeny Rylov (2020), Ryan Murphy (2016) and Aaron Peirsol (2008/2012). Meanwhile, Xu Jiayu and Hunter Armstrong have been crowned world champions.
Of the eight sub-52 performers in history, only Coetze and Russian Kliment Kolesnikov have not won a global title in the 100 backstroke. Kolesnikov was the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist in the event, but he has not had the opportunity to compete at a major meet since due to Russia’s ban for its invasion of Ukraine. He was considered the slight favorite for this year’s world title in the 100 back after his early-season mark of 52.04, the fastest time in the world for 2025 prior to Coetze’s blast.
Peirsol was the first man to crack the 52-second barrier, clocking 51.94 at the 2009 United States National Championships. Seven years later, Murphy won the 100 backstroke at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with a time of 51.97. A few days later, he set the world record of 51.85 while leading off the United States’ victorious 400 medley relay.
Of the eight men to register a 51-point effort, four will compete at the World Championships – Coetze, Ceccon, Kolesnikov and Xu.
The Sub-52 Club (100 Backstroke)
Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 51.60
Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) – 51.82
Ryan Murphy (United States) – 51.85
Xu Jiayu (China) – 51.86
Aaron Peirsol (United States) – 51.94
Evgeny Rylov (Russia) – 51.98
Hunter Armstrong (United States) – 51.98
Pieter Coetze (South Africa) – 51.99
