Pieter Coetze wants to be the favourite at the Commonwealth and 2028 Olympic Games

The 21-year-old is set to spearhead Team South Africa at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August.

Coetze made his Olympic debut in 2021 and first competed at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

After reaching the final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he believes he has grown significantly and is now ready to take the next step on the world stage.

"I was very fortunate to go to the Olympic Games in 2021 because that was the first senior team I made and it was for the Olympic Games, and ever since then I've had a much better idea of what to expect. Now, I'm at a point where I'm very experienced and I know exactly what to do.

"My aim is go into 2028 and next year's Commonwealth Games as the favourite and one of the best in the world."

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The 100m backstroke world champion, who is coached by Rocco Meiring at the University of Pretoria, says the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics present a major opportunity to make a strong statement.

Coetze told the national broadcaster that competing against the world’s best will allow him to measure his progress and confirm where he stands internationally.

The African backstroke record holder admits that balancing his academic commitments, family life and elite-level training is challenging.

However, Coetze says he has found a way to manage it all as he continues to grow both in and out of the pool.

Coetze has also clarified his background, saying many people assume he is from Pretoria because of the time he spends there.

While he was born in Cape Town, he hails from Rustenburg in the North West province.

He completed his matric at Cornwall Hill College in Centurion, having lived just 500 metres from Hoërskool Rustenburg, where he attended school up to Grade 10.

Interestingly, swimming was not Coetze’s first love.

He was actively involved in athletics and rugby before being introduced to swimming and eventually making the move to Tuks.

He says the change allowed him to fully commit to the sport while still enjoying life beyond the pool.

"I used to do a lot of other sports like athletics, cricket and rugby. Swimming wasn't a popular sport, especially in Rustenburg. Over time I started getting more recognition and I was starting to enjoy it more.

"When I was about 15, I started taking it very seriously and committed fully to swimming."