Pieter Coetze wins South Africa’s first 2024 World Aquatics Championships medal

South Africa’s Pieter Coetze won the country’s first medal of the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha on Friday.

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Swimming out of Lane 8 in the final of the men’s 200m backstroke, Coetze stopped the clock in 1:55.99 to claim the bronze medal.

The race was won by Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez in 1:55.30 with Switzerland’s Roman Mityukov taking silver (1:55.40).

Coetze was eighth and last turning for the final 50m, but roared home to claim his well-deserved medal.