Pieter Coetzé leads the pack as he qualifies for 4 World Aquatics Championships events

JOHANNESBURG – Pieter Coetzé closed the SA National Swimming Championships in Gqeberha, having swam qualifying times for four World Aquatics Championships events.

The Olympic finalist was the first swimmer to claim a qualifying time during the national champs that happened from 9-13 April.

He qualified for his fourth on the final night of competition after cruising to victory in the 200m backstroke in a time of 1 minute 56.07.

“Mission accomplished. I just wanted to qualify, get it done. Obviously, it would have been nice to be with a bit faster, but I think I'm in a very good spot for this time of the year because I also don't want to peak now. I want to go overseas and perform there, so I think this is a very good base, and things are looking good,” said Coetzé to swimsa.org

The 20-year-old finished joint top of the men’s medal table with five individual golds, having won the 50, 100 and 200m backstroke as well as the 50 and 100m freestyle. Joining him on five titles was Matt Sates, who took victories in the 200m freestyle, 100 and 200m butterfly and the 200 and 400m individual medley.

The University of Pretoria student athlete was 16 when he qualified for the Olympics and made his debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the youngest South African male swimmer to compete at an Olympic Games.

Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh were 20 when they represented the country at the Games for the first time in London 2012 and Beijing 2008, respectively.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he reached the finals in the 100m and 200m backstroke.

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Para-swimmers Christian Sadie, Danika Vyncke and Nathan Hendricks all achieved qualifying times for the World Para Swimming Championships in September. Sadie finished the SM7 200IM in 2:38.49 while SM13 swimmers Hendricks and Vyncke finished in 2:15.54 and 2:51.60.

Sadie said he was delighted with his times throughout the week, considering he took two months off after last year’s Paralympics.

“I was very surprised coming into this competition because we didn't put too much emphasis on it,” he explained. “We weren't thinking I was going to get as close to personal bests as I did, but I’m super hungry [for the next Paralympics]. And knowing with the amount of work I've done, how far I've already come, knowing that the next three and a half years, there's a lot of time, a lot of things I can improve on.”

2025 World Aquatics Championships Qualifying times achieved at the SA National Swimming Championships:

Pieter Coetzé: 50m, 100m, 200m backstroke, 50m freestyle

Matt Sates: 200m individual medley

Rebecca Meder: 200m individual medley, 200m breaststroke

Kaylene Corbett: 200m breaststroke

Chris Smith: 50m breaststroke

Michael Houlie: 50m breaststroke

Erin Gallagher: 50m butterfly