Swimming success at the Games
Team SA added three medals to its tally on Saturday, all earned in the pool. Pieter Coetze secured a gold medal in the men’s 50m backstroke, while Erin Gallagher claimed a silver in the women’s 50m butterfly. Ruard van Renen also contributed with a bronze medal in the men’s 50m backstroke. These additions bring the team’s total medal count to five, all from swimming events.
Pieter Coetze won gold in the men’s 50m backstroke with a time of 24.18, setting a Games record for the third consecutive time. Ruard van Renen earned a bronze medal in the same event, achieving a time of 24.51. In the women’s 50m butterfly, Erin Gallagher secured a silver medal with a time of 25.92. Jessica Thompson finished fourth in the same race with 25.92, and Caitlin de Lange placed sixth with 26.33.
In other swimming events, Michael Houlie finished seventh in the men’s 100m breaststroke final with a time of 1:00.35, and Chris Smith was eighth with 1:00.79. Calvyn Justus advanced to the men’s 50m freestyle final after finishing second in his semi-final with a personal best of 21.86, making him the fourth fastest qualifier. Guy Brooks improved his morning time in the semi-finals but did not qualify for the final.
Chad le Clos reached the final of the men’s 100m butterfly, qualifying as the eighth fastest after finishing fourth in his semi-final with a time of 52.35. Jardon Eaton did not advance to the final in the same event. In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Aimee Canny won her semi-final with a time of 1:06.74, qualifying second fastest for the final. Kaylene Corbett and Rebecca Meder also qualified for the final, placing fifth and seventh fastest, respectively.
Other sports results
In netball, Team SA defeated Malawi with a score of 65-44. The team maintained a lead throughout the match, finishing the first quarter 18-12, extending it to 34-23 at half-time, and further to 49-32 before closing out the game with a 16-12 fourth-quarter margin.
In gymnastics, Team SA, comprising Caitlyn Rooskrantz, Naveen Daries, Zelme Daries, Karma Visagie, and Buhle Nhleko, finished fifth in the women’s team final with a score of 142.50. Australia, Canada, England, and Wales placed ahead of them.
In lawn bowls, Wayne Rittmuller lost in the men’s singles Section B, Round 4, to Liam Hill of Tonga after a tie-break. The scores were 8-5, 4-7, with the tie-break going 1-0 to Hill. In the women’s pairs, Jackie Janse van Rensburg and Thabelo Muvhango lost to Namibia on a tie-break. The Para Mixed Pairs (B2-B3) team of Princess Schroeder and Keith Orwell experienced losses to England (8-2, 6-1) and Wales (9-4, 7-2).
In wheelchair basketball, the men’s 3×3 team, consisting of Zakhele Shelembe, Xola Yalezo, Shane Williams, and Simanga Mbhele, lost to Scotland 15-9. Team SA had a shooting efficiency of 0.31 compared to Scotland‘s 0.44, and had led early in the match at 5-4 and were level at 6-6.
Le Clos’s pursuit of medal record
Chad le Clos, a 34-year-old swimmer, expressed his desire to become the most decorated male athlete in Commonwealth Games history. He currently holds 18 medals, including seven golds, four silvers, and seven bronzes, placing him level with Phil Adams of Australia and Mick Gault of England. Le Clos is competing in the men’s 50m and 100m butterfly events.
Le Clos reflected on his previous Games appearances, noting that he had hoped to surpass the medal record in 2018. He secured one silver medal in the 200m butterfly at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, which tied him with the current record holders. He attributed past challenges to mental health issues affecting his preparations.
Having made his Commonwealth Games debut in Delhi in 2010, where he won two golds as part of a five-medal haul, Le Clos is now preparing for his fifth appearance. He mentioned that he never anticipated competing for so long, and that his debut was a significant stepping stone in his career. He was eliminated from the heats of the 100m butterfly at the Paris 2024 Olympics and subsequently dealt with several injuries.
A break from swimming last year, advised by his father, helped him to physically recover. Le Clos noted that he is now the elder statesman in the pool, often competing against athletes who are significantly younger. He also highlighted his swimming academy in South Africa, which has 13 clubs and over 3,000 members, with plans to expand to 50 clubs in the next two years. He views the academy as a new perspective in his career and aims to compete in a fifth Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
Source: teamsa.co.za
