Pieter Coetzé clinched his second medal of the world championships in Singapore on Friday as he finished second in the 200m backstroke.
The 21-year-old smashed the African record he set in the semifinals as he touched in 1 min 53.36 sec behind Olympic champion Hubert Kos of Hungary, who lowered his personal best to 1:53.19.
And straight afterwards 26-year-old Kaylene Corbett bagged the first major medal of her career as she finished tied for third in the women’s 200m breaststroke.
Tatjana Smith’s retirement couldn’t keep South Africa off the 200m breaststroke podium.
While Olympic champion Kate Douglass dominated the race to win in a 2:18.50 championship record ahead of Russian Evgenia Chikunova in 2:19.96, Corbett was locked in a fierce race for third place.
She touched in 2:23.52 to dead heat with Alina Zmushka of Belarus. Britain’s Angharad Evans, who had held third place for most of the race, was fifth in 2:24.21.
And then Erin Gallagher lowered her own African record to 25.39 in the women’s 50m butterfly semifinals to advance to Saturday’s final seeded third.
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