Coetze favourite to win 50m backstroke title at Commonwealth Games

World champion in the 100 metres backstroke, Pieter Coetze, is favourite to win gold in the 50 metres backstroke tonight at the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

He broke the Commonwealth Games record twice on Friday, his time of 24-point-two-nine seconds in the semi-final was almost four tenths of a second quicker than the record he set in the heats earlier on Friday.

Coetze will be joined by compatriot Ruard van Renen in the final.

Van Renen was first in the other semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Team South Africa is on the medals table, less than 24 hours after the opening ceremony.

Para swimmer Nathan Hendrick won gold in the men’s S13 100 metres freestyle in impressive style.

The 19-year-old touched the wall in 54-point-five-four seconds, more than half a second quicker than Scotland’s Stephen Clegg.

In an earlier race, Danika Vyncke narrowly missed out on a medal for South Africa when she finished fourth in the women’s S13 freestyle final, but she set a new African record, clocking one minute, four-point-six-eight seconds.

Australia’s Jenna Jones won gold in one minute, three-point-eight-nine seconds.

NEW GAMES RECORD!

Pieter Coetze stormed to victory in the Men’s 50m Backstroke, stopping the clock at 24.45 to set a new Commonwealth Games record at Glasgow 2026. pic.twitter.com/PMUBDglrHn

— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) July 24, 2026

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