Minister McKenzie congratulates Team South Africa on Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Campaign as athletes return home
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie, has congratulated Team South Africa on its performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, as the greater part of the delegation arrived at OR Tambo International Airport this morning.
Team South Africa has won 25 medals in Glasgow – seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze – placing the country seventh on the medal table with competition still under way. A number of South African athletes remain in Scotland and will compete through to the closing ceremony on Sunday, 2 August.
The Minister was unable to attend this morning’s welcome and conveyed a message of congratulations to the athletes and officials through the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC).
“Twenty-five medals, and the remainder of our athletes are still racing tonight,” said Minister McKenzie. “This team went to Glasgow and did us proud. They have given it their all, and every single one of them comes home having helped to add another proud chapter to South Africa’s sporting history.”
Due to the truncated format of this year’s Commonwealth Games, codes such as Rugby Sevens were not included, so the Blitzboks were denied the opportunity to defend the gold medal won at the previous Games, the Minister noted, adding that he was sure we would win it again at the 2030 Games scheduled to take place in India.
A record-breaking pool campaign
As widely expected ahead of the Games, swimmers accounted for the majority of South Africa’s medals – 22 of 25 – at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Pieter Coetzé, at just 22, completed a clean sweep of the backstroke events, winning gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m and setting six Games records in the process. His winning time of 51.77 in the 100m backstroke was a mere 0.17 seconds outside the world record. “South Africa has truly found its next legend of swimming,” said Minister McKenzie.
Chad le Clos leaves Glasgow as the most decorated athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games, with 21 medals across five Games and 16 years. He broke the previous record of 18 on the opening night of the swimming programme and extended it three times thereafter. “Le Clos will live in the hearts and minds of South Africans forever,” said the Minister.
"Pieter Coetzé is just twenty-two years old and he has just swept an entire discipline at a Commonwealth Games," the Minister said. "Chad le Clos has done something no athlete from any Commonwealth nation has ever done. We have watched Chad grow up in a swimming cap, through the triumphs and through the hard years, and last week he wrote the latest line of a remarkable story that we are happy is concluding in the spirit of triumph, in the same way he has competed throughout his career.”
Lara van Niekerk successfully defended her women’s 50m breaststroke title in 30.43.
The Minister said: “Because of what she had to overcome, this medal meant even more to us. That is the character of this team and our country.”
Aimee Canny won four medals – silver in the 100m breaststroke, silver in the 200m individual medley, and bronze in both the women’s freestyle and medley relays.
Erin Gallagher, competing at her final Commonwealth Games, also won four – silver in the 50m butterfly, bronze in the 100m butterfly, and bronze in both relays. Gallagher made her Commonwealth Games debut in the same Glasgow pool twelve years ago.
Ruard van Renen won bronze in both the 50m and 100m backstroke and swam in two medal-winning relays.
Michael Houlie won silver in the 50m breaststroke.
Kaylene Corbett improved on her Birmingham bronze with silver in the 200m breaststroke.
Olivia Nel won bronze in the 100m backstroke.
Rebecca Meder anchored the women’s medley relay to an African record.
Team South Africa won four relay medals, three of them in African record time. The Minister extended his congratulations to all members of the relay squads, including Guy Brooks, and to the swimmers who contested the heats to secure South Africa’s places in those finals: Hannah Pearse, Chris Smith, Georgia Nel, Jessica Thompson, Jarden Eaton and Kris Mihaylov.
A historic sprint title and a first judo medal
On Friday night, Sinesipho Dambile won the men’s 200m in 19.96 seconds, ahead of Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike and Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor. It is the first time a South African has won the Commonwealth 200m title, the country’s first Commonwealth sprint title since Akani Simbine’s 100m victory at Gold Coast 2018, and South Africa’s first medal in the event since Cardiff in 1958.
“Sinesipho, great things lie ahead for you, and we love witnessing the moments that new stars are born. It took sixty-eight years," said Minister McKenzie of Dambile’s victory. “That is how long this country has waited for any medal in that event, and Sinesipho then went out and won the whole thing. He said afterwards it was not about the time, it was about the title. He is a true champion.”
Judoka Donné Breytenbach won bronze in the women’s -57kg division on the same evening, securing her medal by ippon in 33 seconds after contesting three bouts during the day.
One in five medals won by Para-athletes
Five of South Africa’s 25 medals were won by Para-athletes, with six para-sports incorporated into the main programme.
Nathan Hendricks won South Africa’s first medal of the Games – gold in the men’s S13 100m freestyle – and added silver in the S13 50m freestyle.
Christian Sadie won gold in the men’s S7 50m freestyle, setting Games records in both the heat and the final.
Danika Vyncke won silver in the women’s S13 50m freestyle in an African record 28.41.
Masala Makatu won silver in the men’s T12 100m, opening South Africa’s medal account in athletics.
The Minister said: “The first medal South Africa won in Glasgow was not won by a household name. It was won by Nathan Hendricks, a visually impaired swimmer, who said afterwards that his coach had to tell him he had medalled. And the first medal our athletics team won was won by Masala Makatu in the T12 100m. Christian Sadie won gold and broke the Games record twice in a single day. Danika Vyncke broke an African record on her way to silver.
“These were fully integrated Games, and it was a joy to watch. We were one team under one flag and recognised in one medal table for the first time.”
The Minister has also acknowledged Para-athletes who competed without reaching the podium, including Jaco Smit, fourth in the T12 100m by two hundredths of a second; Collen Mahlalela, who ran a season’s best in the T47 100m; Yane van der Merwe, who threw a season’s best in the discus; and Liezel Gouws, who contested the T38 long jump final.
He further recognised South Africa’s para lawn bowlers – Gareth Rees-Gibbs, Jarid James, Princess Schroeder, Keith Orwell, Kurt Smith and Mark Noble – and the country’s 3x3 wheelchair basketball squads: Aviwe Ngoni, Asive Gilifile, Michelle Moganedi, Ongezwa Hagu, Zakhele Shelembe, Xola Yalezo, Shane Williams and Simanga Mbhele.
Fine margins
Several South African athletes finished narrowly outside the medals. Marione Fourie was fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles final, 0.06 seconds off bronze. Aiden Smith was fourth in the men’s shot put. Chris Smith missed bronze in the 50m breaststroke by a single hundredth of a second. Douw Smit stood third in the men’s javelin with one round remaining before being overtaken into fifth place. Tayla Kavanagh set a personal best of 14:58.49 in the women’s 5,000m.
The Proteas netball team, coached by Jenny van Dyk and captained by Khanyisa Chawane, finished fifth after defeating Uganda 62-54, having set a new South African Commonwealth Games scoring record in a 96-42 victory over Tonga earlier in the tournament.
“Fourth is the hardest place in sport to stand,” the Minister said. “To Marione, Aiden, Chris and Douw – I know what it cost you to get there and this country does not measure you by medals alone. And to the Proteas: fifth place with a national scoring record is a team moving forward, so keep building on this momentum.”
Competition continues
South African athletes remain in competition in Glasgow. Zakithi Nene contests the men’s 400m final, Jo-Ané du Plessis the women’s javelin final, and Karabo More the women’s mile. South Africa’s sprint relay squads are also in action, while the country’s judoka, track cyclists and lawn bowlers compete through to Sunday.
“To everyone still in Glasgow. We are still watching, we are with you, and we are willing you to finish on a high," added Minister McKenzie.
Acknowledgments
The Minister thanked SASCOC and its President, Mr Barry Hendricks, for the invitation to welcome the team, and expressed regret that he was unable to attend in person. He confirmed that the Ministry would be arranging a formal reception for the full delegation once all athletes had returned from Glasgow.
“My office is arranging a proper occasion for the whole team, once they are all reunited, and SASCOC will hear from us this week.
“I also want to thank the coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, technical staff and team management for work that no camera records. And I want to thank the families who sat up through the night watching a child they raised compete under our colours and flag. This belongs to you as much as to them.
“To every young South African who watched these Games: these athletes were once just like you, and you can write your own names into the record books if seeing these achievements lit a fire in your belly.
“And to every South African living with a disability who saw Nathan Hendricks, Christian Sadie, Danika Vyncke and Masala Makatu on that podium – that was a reminder that the focus of life should never be only on what you cannot do, or what may be denied to you, but rather should be on the many things you can do. By overcoming adversity, you inspire someone else facing their own struggles.
“We salute you all as the heroes you are and I look forward to being with the whole team again soon.”
For media enquiries:
Ms Stacey-Lee Khojane, Spokesperson: Office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture │Email: StaceyK@dsac.gov.za │ Cell: +27 77 608 7579
Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture │Email: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za │ Cell: +27 72 172 8925
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