By Adnaan Mohamed
South African swimming sensation Pieter Coetze has officially entered the record books, slicing through the water to shatter the men’s 50m backstroke world record in Tashkent on Friday with a blistering 22.09 seconds.
The 22-year-old’s lightning -fast performance eclipsed Russian Kliment Kolesnikov’s previous global benchmark of 22.11, set in 2022, and carved 0.42 seconds off Coetze’s own personal best of 22.51, which he recorded last week.
After coming agonisingly close to the 100m backstroke record at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this summer, the reigning 100m backstroke world champion finally landed his golden moment, leaving a world-class field floundering in his wake.
“Seeing that time on the board, it didn’t even click that it was a World Record,” Coetze said. “And then, like, a second later, I was like… ‘the World Record was 22.1.’ So… not many words to describe that. It’s crazy.”
The race delivered a breathtaking finish. Russia’s Egor Kornev, who was ahead of world-record pace at the halfway mark, mistimed his final strokes and touched in 22.29 for silver. compatriot Pavel Samusenko claimed bronze in 22.35, while former record-holder Kolesnikov languished in sixth in 22.88.
Coetze’s breakthrough adds another jewel to a remarkable year following his 100m backstroke world title in 2025 and two 51.7-second swims in Glasgow that threatened the longer-distance record.
His new status as world-record holder will put a target squarely between his shoulder blades as the Silk Road Tour continues in Kazakhstan next week.
Yet Coetze insists the record will not turn his head.
“I don’t think it changes much,” he said. “My mindset normally stays the same, no matter what the race is, because, you know, at this level everyone is always close. I mean, the world-record holder was there, and look how close it was. So, no, you can never get too comfortable. I’ll just keep doing the same.”
Fellow South African Michael Houlie ensured the national flag flew high again, winning the men’s 50m breaststroke final in 25.67 seconds. The performance placed him 16th on the all-time list despite battling lower-back pain and food poisoning.
“I think, in spite of all of that, I’ve been able to overcome it and swim the way I swam today,” Houlie said. “That takes courage, and I’m just… I’m grateful. Grateful to be here.”
Coetze’s historic splash was the Silk Road Tour’s first outright world record. Kornev had matched the 100m freestyle world record the previous week, but could not lower it.
Now South Africa has a new record-breaking name in the swimming spotlight, and Coetze has shown the world that when he hits top gear, even history struggles to keep its head above water.