The SA team are expected to secure medals in multiple codes.
Backstroke swimmer Pieter Coetzé is expected to lead the SA team’s podium charge in the pool. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games, which officially opened in Glasgow on Thursday, features a 112-member South African squad competing in 10 codes.
We take a look at some of the athletes and teams to watch at the quadrennial multi-sport showpiece.
Pieter Coetzé (swimming)
The 22-year-old backstroke star has climbed the global ranks in recent years and will lead the national team in the pool in Glasgow.
At last year’s World Aquatics Championships in Singapore he raked in three medals, winning gold in the 100m backstroke.
Having also secured three medals at the previous edition of the Commonwealth showpiece in Birmingham four years ago, the African record holder will be confident of putting up a fight for multiple podium places again.
If he hits his straps, he is likely to be the SA squad’s most successful medallist at the Games.
4x100m relay (athletics)
Though they will be without rising star Bayanda Walaza, who was injured during the qualifying window, the national men’s 4x100m team will fancy their chances of challenging for the gold medal.
The squad includes SA record holder Akani Simbine and sub-10 athlete Bradley Nkoana, who both formed part of the team that earned silver at the Paris Olympics two years ago, as well as national 100m champion Gift Leotlela and in-form 200m specialist Sinesipho Dambile.
If required, they also have the services of back-up athletes Cheswill Johnson and Mvuyo Moss, who were part of the team that bagged silver at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana earlier this year.
Chad le Clos (swimming)
At the age of 34, Le Clos is no longer the SA swimming team’s best medal prospect, but he will be targeting a historic podium place.
A four-time Olympic medallist and four-time world champion, the versatile swimmer has earned a total of 18 medals at the last four editions of the Commonwealth Games.
If he can secure one more, he will become the most decorated male athlete in any sport at the quadrennial showpiece, which would be a fitting way for him to close out what is likely to be his last appearance at the Commonwealth spectacle.
Proteas team (netball)
Ranked fifth heading into the tournament, the Proteas are not among the favourites for their first ever medal at the Games.
However, since Jenny van Dyk was appointed as the head coach in 2024, the national side have shown consistent improvement and increased cohesion on the court.
Earlier this year, at Ellis Park, the SA team secured a 2-1 series victory over higher-ranked England, who have reached the play-offs at all eight editions of the Games at which netball has been contested.
The Proteas will have the belief that they can finally step on the podium.
Christian Sadie (para-swimming)
Born with radial dysplasia, 28-year-old Sadie will be targeting the podium in the S7 classification at the Games for the third successive edition, after earning 50m freestyle silver in Gold Coast in 2018 and bronze in the same event in Birmingham in 2022.
At last year’s World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, Sadie was the SA squad’s only medallist, grabbing silver in the 200m individual medley, and bronze in the 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke events.
Sadie, who competed at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, is a multiple African record holder.
