South Africa’s Pieter Coetze achieved a new 50m backstroke short-course world record on Friday, clocking in at 22.09 seconds at a World Aquatics World Cup meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He surpassed the previous record of 22.11 seconds held by Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov, set in Kazan in 2022. Coetze, the 100m backstroke world champion, expressed his surprise at the achievement, noting the intense competition at this level. Kolesnikov finished sixth in the same race with a time of 22.88, while Russia’s Egor Kornev secured second place, following his recent tie with Australian Kyle Chalmers’ record in Baku. Kornev also won the 100m freestyle final, despite a back injury. The event showcased the high level of competition as athletes prepare for the upcoming short-course world championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where the 50m backstroke will debut.