TASHKENT, 10 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): South African swimmer Pieter Coetze set a new men’s 50-metre backstroke short-course world record on Friday, clocking 22.09 seconds at a World Aquatics World Cup meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 22-year-old world champion broke the previous record of 22.11 seconds, set by Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov in Kazan in 2022. Coetze, who is also the 100m backstroke world champion, described the achievement as an incredible moment, saying he initially did not realise that his time had set a world record. Kolesnikov competed in the same race but finished sixth in 22.88 seconds, while fellow Russian swimmer Egor Kornev secured second place in 22.29 seconds after misjudging his finish. Coetze said the record would not change his approach to competition, stressing that swimmers at the highest level remain closely matched and that no athlete can afford to become complacent. The 50m backstroke is scheduled to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Meanwhile, Kornev won the men’s 100m freestyle final in 45.24 seconds, finishing with the same time as Australia’s Cameron McEvoy despite dealing with a back injury. McEvoy praised his rival’s potential, predicting that Kornev could produce an even faster performance in the coming months. The short-course World Championships are scheduled to take place in Beijing from December 1 to 6.