Rocco Meiring over the moon after Pieter Coetze breaks world record

The 22-year-old clocked 22.09 seconds at the second leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, breaking the previous record of 22.11 seconds set by Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov in 2022. 

Speaking to SABC Sport, Meiring says the achievement was the biggest highlight of his weekend.

"Today Charles I'm doing really well because I have an athlete that broke a world record. So, you found me at a very good time, I'm obviously in a great mood and as a coach there's nothing more that I could ask for than to have success like Pieter did now,” Meiring said. 

“At the end of the day what we are working towards, if an athlete succeeds, we succeed, so I'm very, very happy. Unfortunately, it happens less than the opposite but today I'm very happy."

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The two-time South African Coach of the Year says he and Coetze must remain humble and not allow the world record to go to their heads. 

With comparisons already being made between the young swimmer and South African legends Cameron van der Burgh and Roland Schoeman, Meiring believes Coetze still needs to win Olympic medals before he can be placed in the same class as the two greats.

"Pieter will only get into the same class as Cameron van der Burgh and Roland Schoeman when he gets on the podium at the Olympics because that's where they were,” the coach added. 

“You know, Cameron van der Burgh won gold, Roland Schoeman won gold in the relay and he won silver and bronze. The worst thing Pieter and I can do is to get ahead of ourselves. 

“Once you get onto the podium and once you get on to the top of the podium then I can answer that question but for now, Pieter is gonna stay grounded and he knows that. It's small steps and it's against very tough opposition. Those two guys are legends and that's for another day."