Team South Africa has a lot to be happy about this Monday. Our athletes added four gold medals to the tally over the weekend after incredible performances in the swimming pool and on the Rugby field in Birmingham.
It was the teenagers, Lara van Niekerk and Pieter Coetze, who opened South Africa’s account on Saturday.
Leave it to the Teens
The 19-year-old van Niekerk, who has been in significant form this year, powered to a gold medal in the 50-meter Breaststroke final. In the same race, Olympic Champion Tatjana Schoenmaker fell short of a bronze medal.
The 18-year-old Coetze beat out the opposition on his back. It was a tightly contested 100-meter swim in the Backstroke final and he managed to touch the wall 0.13 seconds ahead of England’s Brodie Paul Williams.
The swimmers carried the momentum over to Sunday, where team South Africa won a gold, a silver, and a bronze.
Twelve South African Swimmers, including the Relay swimmers, were featured in the finals last night. Of the twelve, only three could leave the Sandwell Aquatics Centre with silverware.
So Le Clos, yet so far
Chad le Clos was the first to compete for a medal in the 200-meter Butterfly final. The Olympic Champion looked like his old self over three-quarters of the race, but he came up short of a gold medal.
Le Clos was reeled in by the New Zealander, Lewis Clareburt, at the very end.
Men's 200m BUTTERFLY |Chad Le Clos | Silver Medal#TeamSA pic.twitter.com/tlnhjP7tY0
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) July 31, 2022
His Silver medal was the 18th Commonwealth Games medal of his career. That saw him equal the record for most medals at the Games. The 30-year-old South African is tied with two Sport Shooters. Australian Philip Adams and Englishman Mick Gault.
Le Clos will get the opportunity to become the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete when he lines up in the 100-meter Butterfly.
Tatjana is back on Top
South Africa’s Gold and Bronze medal came in the 200-meter Breaststroke final. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Tatjana Schoenmaker destroyed the competition. The 24-year-old had a nearly two-second gap over her closest rival when she touched the wall for the last time.
#TeamSA 1 and 3.#TeamSA#B2022 pic.twitter.com/xFwH09CbpV
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2024) July 31, 2022
In celebrating the win, she was more excited for compatriot Kaylene Corbett, who won her maiden Commonwealth medal after coming in third. Two hundred of a second off a silver medal pace.
Read More: Another golden night for Team SA at the 2022 Commonwealth Games!
The Magnificent Seven
The weekend was wrapped up in spectacular fashion by the Blitzboks.
The South African Men’s sevens team struggled in the last couple of Sevens Series legs. However, they completely dominated throughout the entire weekend. They conceded only 17-points in the four matches leading up to the final while putting 173-points on the scoreboard.
They continued the trend of ruthless defence and unapologetic attack in the final. Fiji never stood a chance, with the Blitzboks running out 31-7 victors.
🇿🇦 A proud and relieved Neil Powell has heaped praise on the Blitzbok players for their Birmingham brilliance this weekend – more here: https://t.co/sLuQ5lX7Bp@TeamSA2024 #BestOfUs pic.twitter.com/dEGb7N2f2Q
— Springbok Sevens (@Blitzboks) August 1, 2022
That earned the South African sevens team their first Gold medal since the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
South Africa at the Games today
Monday 1 August 2022
Swimming
Men’s 50-meter Breaststroke
11:47 Heat 5 – Brenden G Crawford
11:49 Heat 6 – Michael Houlie
Women’s 100-meter Freestyle
12:04 Heat 7 – Erin Gallagher + Emma Chelius
12:06 Heat 8 – Aimee Canny
Men’s 100-meter Butterfly
12:21 Heat 6 – Matthew Sates
12:24 Heat 7 – Chad le Clos
Women’s 200-meter Individual Medley
11:31 Heat 2 – Rebecca Meder
Women’s 100-meter Breaststroke
12:39 Heat 2 – Kaylene Corbett
12:42 Heat 3 – Lara van Niekerk
12:45 Heat 4 – Tatjana Schoenmaker
Women’s 800-meter Freestyle
13:00 Heat 2 – Michaela Pulford
Judo
11:00 – 15:00
Women’s 52kg QF – Match 16 – Charne Griesel vs Yasmin Javadian NIR
Women’s 57kg QF – Match 19 – Donne Breytenbach vs Lele Nairne ENG
Women’s 48kg QF – Match 20 – Michaela Whitebooi vs TBD
Netball
Pool A match 3 of 5
13:00 AUS vs RSA
Hockey
Men’s Pool A
15:00 – SCO vs RSA
Artistic Gymnastics
Women’s Vault – Final 15:10
Naveen Daries
Beach Volleyball
Men’s Preliminary Pool B
RSA – Goldschmidt/Williams vs AUS 15:30
Lawn Bowls
Para Mixed Pairs Section A Round 2 B2/B3
13:00 RSA vs Wales
Para Mixed Pairs Section A Round 3 B2/B3
17:30 RSA vs ENG
Badminton
Mixed Team Quarter Final 4
RSA vs IND 18:30
