Pieter Coetze Breaks Commonwealth Games Record Twice in 1 Day As Sixth Mark Falls
- Pieter Coetze produced another remarkable performance that has South African swimming fans talking as he continued rewriting the record books
- The South African star achieved something rare on the same day and strengthened his status ahead of another major race
- His latest achievement has added fresh excitement as he heads into the Commonwealth Games final with momentum
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Source: Getty Images
South African swimmer Pieter Coetze shattered the Commonwealth Games men's 100m backstroke record twice on Tuesday, 28 July, during the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The 21-year-old lowered the mark in the semi-finals before breaking it again less than an hour later, taking his tally to six Commonwealth Games records during the meet.
Pieter Coetze breaks 100m backstroke Games record twice
SwimSwam reported that Coetze first touched the wall in 52.20 seconds during the semi-finals, beating the previous Games record of 53.12 set in 2014.
Around 40 minutes later, he improved again while leading off South Africa's mixed 4x100m medley relay. Coetze stopped the clock at 51.98 seconds, becoming the only swimmer to break the 52-second barrier at the Games.
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According to SwimSwam, Coetze added his sixth Commonwealth Games record of the week by lowering the men's 100m backstroke mark to 52.20 before reducing it even further to 51.98 during the mixed medley relay.
South African star builds impressive record haul
The latest swim gave Coetze his sixth Commonwealth Games record of the week after record-breaking performances in the 50m and 200m backstroke events.
South Africa claimed silver in the mixed medley relay while setting a new African record.
Source: Getty Images
Pieter Coetze targets another gold medal
Coetze advanced to the men's 100m backstroke final as the fastest qualifier. His latest performance also moved him to the top of the season rankings.
The South African will now aim to add another Commonwealth Games gold medal to an already memorable campaign.
Pieter Coetze's record-breaking run began before latest milestone
Briefly News previously reported that Pieter Coetze had already taken the 2026 Commonwealth Games by storm before rewriting the men's 100m backstroke record twice in one day.
The South African swimmer broke four Commonwealth Games records in his opening three days in Glasgow.
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Source: Briefly News
