Another year, another championship, but it is all that has changed. Pieter Coetzé is still the ‘king of backstroke’ in South Africa.

During this week’s National championships in Port Elizabeth, the Tuks swimmer won the 100m-backstroke swimming 54.08s. More importantly, he has qualified to compete at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games (28 July-8 August). He won his heat swimming 53.96s. The qualifying standard is 54.03s.

Coetzé’s performance was remarkable because 35 minutes before he won the backstroke, he competed in the 50m-butterfly final. He was second behind Chad le Clos.

“I got the qualifying time in the morning, so the pressure was off,” said the 17-year-old Olympian.

Because the 50 fly was quite close to the 100 back, Coetzé didn’t have time to do a swim down.

“I felt comfortable going out, but it is all about the backend speed. I was certainly not as fast as I wanted to be,” he explained.

During last year’s national championships, Coetzé won all three backstroke events (50m, 100m and 200m). He is confident of doing so again.

“To win titles is always special, but my main goal is to try and qualify for the Commonwealth Games in all three backstroke events. I don’t want to peak too soon. If I do, my next challenge would be to try and medal at the Games,” said the young star.

The Tuks swimmer’s confidence sprouts from what has been happening when training.

“My coach, Rocco Meiring, and I have been working a lot to improve my technique. It has been paying dividends. Over the last few weeks, I felt that I kept getting faster,” Coetzé remarked.

* Tuks’ Tatjana Schoenmaker got beaten by Lara van Niekerk in the 50m-breaststroke. The 18-year-old from Pretoria swam 30.60s. She was even faster in her heat, winning in 29.88s. Her time is a new African record. Van Niekerk also qualified for the Commonwealth Games.

Schoenmaker finished second, also qualifying swimming 30.87s. Kaylene Corbett (Tuks) finished third in a time of 31.94s.

Meiring, who coaches both Schoenmaker and Corbett, is not surprised by the result.

“Everything in Tatjana’s life changed after last year’s Tokyo Olympic Games, where she won the 200m-breaststroke, setting a world record and won silver in the 100m-breaststroke. She needs to refocus, and that is not easy. To remain competitive at the highest level is a body, mind and soul thing. It is never only about the body,” he explained.

He also said the last few months had been difficult for Corbett.

“She had to work hard to catch up on her studies after the Olympic Games. But it is not her only challenge. I have changed her training program, and she is still busy adjusting to it,” Meiring concluded.

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