Category: Sport

Team South Africa’s athletes began the final Saturday of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with 25 medals around their necks — seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze — placing the country seventh on the medal table with competition still under way.

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie led the tributes as a large part of the delegation touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday morning, according to SAnews.

“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,” the Minister said in a statement.

A Games to Remember

The Glasgow Games began on 23 July and conclude on 2 August 2026, and several South African athletes remained in Scotland with a chance to add to the tally before the closing ceremony on Sunday. Although the Minister could not welcome the team at the airport in person, he conveyed his congratulations to athletes and officials through the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC).

McKenzie reserved special words for the country’s para-athletes, singling out podium finishers Nathan Hendricks, Christian Sadie, Danika Vyncke and Masala Makatu.

“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.”

An Inspiration for the Next Generation

The Minister aimed his message squarely at the young South Africans who stayed up to watch the 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,” he said.

He also thanked the people behind the performances — the coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, technical staff and team management “for work that no camera records” — as well as the families who sat up through the night watching their children compete under the South African flag. “This belongs to you as much as to them,” he said.

A Hero’s Welcome on the Way

The celebrations will not end at the arrivals hall. McKenzie confirmed that the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture is arranging a formal reception for the full delegation once every athlete has 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,” he said.

With seven golds already banked and the final day of competition still to play out, Glasgow 2026 goes down as another proud chapter for South African sport — and a springboard for the champions of tomorrow.

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Two goals down and staring at an early exit, Banyana Banyana produced the kind of fightback that has made them one of Africa’s most admired teams. South Africa’s women’s national side roared back to snatch a precious 2-2 draw against Cote d’Ivoire in their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) Group B clash at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Friday evening, according to SAnews.

A comeback built on belief

The stakes could hardly have been higher. After a narrow 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in their opening match on Monday, Banyana Banyana knew that another loss would leave their campaign hanging by a thread. When Cote d’Ivoire surged into a two-goal lead, a lesser team might have folded.

Instead, the South Africans regrouped at the break and delivered a second-half display full of heart. Thembi Kgatlana and Hildah Magaia — two of the heroes of South Africa’s historic 2022 continental title triumph — each found the back of the net to haul their side level and secure a point that keeps the team firmly in the hunt.

All to play for against Burkina Faso

South Africa sit in Group B alongside Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the quarter-finals. That means qualification remains squarely in Banyana Banyana’s own hands when they face Burkina Faso in their final group fixture on Tuesday, 4 August 2026.

A win in that decisive encounter would give the team every chance of extending their stay in Morocco and continuing their record of deep runs at the continental showpiece — a tradition the nation celebrated so memorably when the team lifted the WAFCON trophy for the first time in 2022.

The fighting spirit of a champion side

Friday’s comeback was a reminder of the resilience that has carried this golden generation of South African footballers to the sport’s biggest stages, from continental glory to the FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout rounds. Trailing by two goals away from home, in a high-pressure tournament match, the team showed composure, courage and quality when it mattered most.

For the millions of supporters back home who set their alarms and filled living rooms in green and gold, the message from Casablanca was clear: this team never stops fighting. South Africans of every stripe will be behind Banyana Banyana on Tuesday as they take on Burkina Faso with a quarter-final place there for the taking.

Kgatlana and Magaia’s goals mean South Africa’s fate is still in their own hands — and if Friday night proved anything, it is that writing off Banyana Banyana is never a wise idea.

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Team South Africa woke up on Wednesday with 16 medals in the bank at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, after another glittering night in the pool at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre pushed the tally to new heights.

According to SAnews, the swimming team added five more medals on Tuesday alone, keeping South Africa’s winning streak alive and confirming the pool as the beating heart of the country’s campaign in Scotland.

Gold, silver and an African record

Defending champion Lara van Niekerk delivered one of the performances of the night, winning gold in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke in a time of 30.43 to hold on to the title she claimed four years ago.

There was history for Danika Vyncke too. The Team South Africa website reported that she took silver in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 final, clocking 28.41 to break the African record — her first medal of Glasgow 2026 and one she will never forget.

Aimee Canny kept her superb Games going, claiming silver in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley with a brilliant swim of 2:09.37 — her second medal of the meet.

Le Clos joins the all-time greats

The moment of the night, though, belonged to Chad le Clos. The veteran star secured silver in the mixed 4x100m relay, earning his 20th Commonwealth Games medal and drawing level with Australia’s Emma McKeon as the most decorated athlete in the history of the Games.

It is a remarkable milestone for a swimmer who has carried South African hopes across four editions of the Games, and it writes his name permanently into Commonwealth sporting history.

And the record-breaking may not be finished. Pieter Coetze — already a multiple gold medallist in Glasgow — broke the Commonwealth Games record in the Men’s 100m Backstroke semi-final with a time of 52.20, qualifying for the final as the fastest man in the field and setting up the prospect of yet more silverware.

Netballers on the march

The good news was not confined to the water. South Africa’s netballers produced a dominant display to sweep past Northern Ireland 78-30, underlining the depth of the South African challenge across codes in Glasgow.

With finals still to come in the pool and the netball campaign gathering momentum, Team South Africa’s Glasgow story keeps getting better — and the whole country is watching a golden generation do it proudly in the green and gold.

• Medal tally: 16 and counting as of Wednesday, 29 July
• Gold: Lara van Niekerk, Women’s 50m Breaststroke (30.43)
• Silver: Danika Vyncke (African record 28.41), Aimee Canny (2:09.37), Chad le Clos (20th Games medal)
• Netball: South Africa 78, Northern Ireland 30

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

South Africa’s swimmers have turned the pool at the 2026 Commonwealth Games into happy hunting ground, powering Team South Africa to nine medals in Glasgow — with Pieter Coetze leading the charge after clinching his second gold of the meet.

The 22-year-old backstroke ace added the 200m backstroke title to the 50m backstroke crown he had already secured, delivering one of the standout swims of the Games at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre on Sunday night, according to the Team South Africa website.

A Games record — and a treble in sight

Coetze went out fearlessly, reaching the halfway mark of the 200m backstroke in 54.47 seconds — inside world-record pace — before digging deep over the closing lengths to touch the wall in a Games-record time of 1:54.22. His winning margin was emphatic: 2.22 seconds over England’s silver medallist Oliver Morgan.

With two golds already in the bag, Coetze now starts as the favourite to complete a golden treble in his strongest event, the 100m backstroke — a prospect that has South African swimming fans dreaming of more anthem moments in Glasgow.

Medals across the board

Coetze’s triumph was one of three podium finishes for Team South Africa on the night, lifting the country’s overall tally to nine medals.

• Aimee Canny stormed to silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:06.19, with compatriots Kaylene Corbett (1:07.61) and Rebecca Meder (1:07.68) placing sixth and seventh in the same final — three South Africans in one championship final.
• Olivia Nel claimed a gutsy bronze in the women’s 100m backstroke, charging home from lane two in 1:00.09.

‘I am so proud of myself’

An emotional Nel captured the spirit of the team after her race.

“I’m so excited, I feel quite emotional. That race was challenging for me, but I am so proud of myself; it feels good. My goal was to go out with enough to come back with. I paced things pretty well going out and had enough to speed up at the end,” she said.

With the swimming programme still under way and Coetze chasing history in the 100m backstroke, South Africa’s medal count looks set to keep climbing — another proud chapter for Mzansi sport on the world stage.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The countdown is on. Banyana Banyana are fine-tuning their preparations in Morocco ahead of their opening match of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) against Tanzania – and the 2022 African champions have promised the nation they will not disappoint.

The tournament runs in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026, with South Africa drawn in Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania. WAFCON kicks off on Sunday, and Banyana Banyana are in action the very next day, Monday 27 July, against Tanzania.

Settling in under the Moroccan sun

Head coach Dr Desiree Ellis reported that the squad has hit the ground running since arriving in North Africa.

“We’ve had two sessions now trying to acclimatise to the heat as we are coming from a cold South Africa, but fortunately, for now, it’s not as hot as it was last year. We had really good sessions, and now we are looking forward to the rest of the week,” Ellis said.

A squad blending experience and exciting new blood

Ellis has named a final 26-player squad for what will be South Africa’s 14th appearance at the continental showpiece. According to the South African Football Association (SAFA), the technical team has retained the core group of players who have featured for the senior women’s national team in recent matches, with 17 players returning from the WAFCON 2024 squad.

Nine additions have been included for the competition: Katlego Moletsane, Isabella Ludwig, Asanda Hadebe, Antonia Maponya, Zoe October, Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, Nthabiseng Majiya, Thembi Kgatlana and Ronnel Donnelly. Six players are set for tournament debuts, with 18-year-old Zoe October the youngest member of the squad.

“We have a nice mixture of youth and experience, and that was key in making our selection because while we have immediate goals, we still need to look beyond the tournament and not be found wanting,” Ellis said. “We are under no illusion that this competition will be tough, but we believe we have a balanced squad and are well prepared for what lies ahead of us.”

Eyes on the World Cup

Beyond continental glory, there is a bigger prize in sight: qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“That means the focus for now is the opening game against Tanzania as it will set the tone for the tournament. We also depart with the full knowledge of the weight of expectations from all South Africans, and we promise not to disappoint,” Ellis said.

After the Tanzania clash, Banyana Banyana will face Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in the group stage as they chase a place in the knockout rounds and beyond.

From the champions of 2022 to the debutants dreaming big, this is a team carrying the hopes of a nation that has learned to expect magic from its women’s game. Mzansi will be watching on Monday – and cheering every touch. The full story is available from SAnews.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Springboks produced a ruthless seven-try masterclass at a slippery Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, crushing Wales 43-0 to make it three wins from three in the inaugural Nations Championship — and they did it with a heavily rotated side featuring four debutants.

South Africa led 19-0 at half-time and never looked back, with seven different players crossing the whitewash in a performance that underlined the depth of the world champions’ squad, as reported by Yahoo Sports.

New Faces, Same Standards

Coach Rassie Erasmus made ten changes to his starting side and handed out four new caps, yet the machine barely missed a beat. Number eight Jasper Wiese opened the scoring in just the fifth minute, before scrum-half Cobus Reinach and centre Jesse Kriel added further first-half tries.

The second half began in explosive fashion: debutant wing Jaco Williams needed only 44 seconds after the restart to score on his home debut. Herschel Jantjies, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Paul de Villiers completed the rout.

Twenty-year-old flyhalf Vusi Moyo, on test debut, slotted three conversions in an assured first outing in the green and gold, with Manie Libbok adding another off the bench.

A Man of the Match in His Third Test

Fittingly for a day about depth, the Man of the Match award went to flanker Paul de Villiers — winning just his third cap — who capped his outstanding shift with a try of his own.

The defensive effort was every bit as impressive as the attack. Wales, who missed 29 tackles on the day, simply could not live with the Springboks’ power and pace, and South Africa’s defence pitched a shutout: not a single point conceded across the full 80 minutes.

Unbeaten and Rolling

The result completes a perfect southern hemisphere leg for the Springboks in the new-look Nations Championship:

• Three matches, three wins;
• Seven tries by seven different scorers against Wales;
• Only South Africa and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the competition.

The slippery conditions in Durban made handling difficult all afternoon, which makes the clinical finishing all the more impressive — every visit to the Welsh 22 seemed to end with points.

The tournament now pauses before resuming in November, when the Springboks head to Europe for the northern leg with top spot firmly in their sights.

For South African fans, the message from Kings Park was emphatic: the world champions are not just winning — they are building two or three deep in every position, with youngsters like Moyo, Williams and De Villiers proving the green-and-gold conveyor belt is running at full speed. The future, like the present, looks very bright indeed.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

South Africa has conquered the world of age-group rugby once again. The Junior Springboks were crowned World Rugby U20 Championship winners on Saturday after a hard-fought 16-5 victory over France at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia — successfully defending the title they won last year in Italy.

The triumph delivers South Africa’s third U20 world crown, adding to the titles of 2012 and 2025, and extends the team’s winning run in the competition to 11 consecutive matches, according to reports from EWN and Sustain Health.

A Final Won the Hard Way

Nothing about the decider came easily. A lightning storm delayed kick-off, and once play began France brought their trademark flair backed by serious physicality. Four tries were disallowed on review during the match — three of them South African — yet the young Boks refused to let frustration take over.

Leading 6-0 at halftime, South Africa fell behind the momentum early in the second half when French flanker Raphael Audebert crossed for the game’s opening try. The response was composed and clinical: lock Markus Muller powered over for the Junior Boks’ try, while fly-half Yaqeen Ahmed kicked 11 points off the tee to give South Africa scoreboard authority their defensive effort deserved.

With the win, South Africa became only the fourth nation to claim consecutive Junior World Championship titles, joining New Zealand, England and France in that select club.

‘It Means Everything to South Africa’

Head coach Kevin Foote paid tribute to his side’s resilience and togetherness after the final whistle.

“France played with their usual flair and they were also big and physical, so we had to soak that up. But that’s the story of this team — they never give up and it means everything to us and our country. Rugby is in a very special place in South Africa now and we’re very lucky to represent them — to go back-to-back is very special so I’m very grateful,” Foote said.

Captain Siphosethu Mnebelele, who also lifted the trophy in 2025, described the repeat as a “flipping great feeling” and credited the squad’s deep bond. “We talk about giving love on defence, giving love on attack and doing it for the guy next to you,” he said.

Champions Coming Home

Elsewhere in the tournament, New Zealand secured third place with a 41-26 win over England, while Scotland beat Wales 28-21 to claim fifth.

For South African rugby, the timing could hardly be sweeter. With the senior Springboks unbeaten in the Nations Championship after their 42-28 win over Scotland at Loftus Versfeld, the production line of champions looks in exceptional health.

The Junior Boks are due back home on Monday, where a hero’s welcome awaits a group of young men who showed that South African rugby’s future is not just bright — it is already golden.

Photo: ewn.co.za

Banyana Banyana are on their way to Morocco. The South African senior women’s national team departs this Saturday to step up preparations for the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where the 2022 African champions will once again look to make their mark on the continental stage.

The tournament runs in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026, and South Africa have been drawn in Group B alongside Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania, according to the South African Football Association (SAFA), as reported by SAnews.

Momentum on Their Side

The squad travels with real momentum behind them. Sasol Banyana Banyana have climbed to 57th in the FIFA world rankings, up one place, on the back of a memorable 1-0 victory over Japan in an away international friendly in June 2026.

“Sasol Banyana Banyana have moved up one place to 57th on the FIFA rankings, following their 1-0 win against Japan in an international friendly match played away from home in June 2026. Coach Dr Desiree Ellis’s charges are second on the CAF rankings behind leaders Nigeria,” SAFA said.

That second place on the African rankings tells its own story: this is a team that has become a fixture at the top of the continental game, and one that arrives in Morocco as a genuine contender.

Ellis Fine-Tunes Her Squad

Head coach Dr Desiree Ellis, the architect of South Africa’s historic 2022 WAFCON triumph, will name her final tournament squad on Friday. Her players have been in camp since 12 July, fine-tuning their preparations for another tilt at continental glory.

The camp has given Ellis time to settle combinations and sharpen the team’s rhythm before the group stage kicks off. With a favourable draw and a settled technical team, the foundations for a strong campaign are firmly in place.

The Road Through Group B

The group stage will ask different questions of the champions. Ivory Coast bring physicality and tournament experience, Burkina Faso arrive as an improving side with little to lose, and Tanzania have steadily built one of East Africa’s most organised teams. Navigating that trio will demand the focus and depth that Ellis has spent the July camp building, and the final squad announcement on Friday will show exactly which combination of experience and youth she trusts to do it.

A Nation Behind Them

When Banyana Banyana lifted the trophy in 2022, they brought the country to its feet and inspired a generation of young footballers. Four years on, the team has kept building: rising in the world rankings, beating elite opposition like Japan, and holding their place among Africa’s very best.

As the team boards the plane to Morocco, they carry with them the hopes of a footballing nation that has learned to expect big things from its women’s team. Group B awaits, and Banyana Banyana are ready.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Springboks made it two wins from two in the Nations Championship, scoring six tries to beat a spirited Scotland 42-28 in front of 45,053 fans at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, 11 July.

On a day when Scotland refused to go away, South Africa’s firepower and composure in the final quarter proved decisive, with flyhalf Handre Pollard named man of the match for a commanding kicking display that yielded five conversions.

Fast start, fierce fightback

The hosts flew out of the blocks, with scrumhalf Embrose Papier darting over in the 17th minute and No 8 Evan Roos following two minutes later to open a 14-0 lead. But Scotland hit back through Matt Fagerson and Kyle Rowe to level matters at 14-14 by half-time.

The second half brought fresh drama. South Africa were reduced to 14 men when Ben-Jason Dixon was shown a yellow card, but the defence held firm and Scotland could not make the extra man count.

The champions pull clear

Restored to a full complement, the Springboks shifted through the gears. Elrigh Louw crashed over in the 57th minute, Damian Willemse added another three minutes later, and tighthead Zach Porthen powered in on 66 minutes to stretch the lead to 35-14.

Still Scotland came, with Josh Bayliss and Ben White cutting the deficit to seven points with ten minutes remaining. The response was vintage Springbok composure: Pollard dinked a clever grubber in behind the defence and centre Jesse Kriel scooped it up, bumping off two defenders to score the sealing try two minutes from time.

Two from two, Wales up next

The win, refereed by Frenchman Pierre Brousset, keeps South Africa perfect in the new competition after the seven-try demolition of England at Ellis Park in the opening round.

Captain Pieter-Steph du Toit led from the front in a pack that included Boan Venter, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Ruan Nortje and Paul de Villiers, while Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe and Ethan Hooker provided the spark out wide.

South Africa’s try scorers on the day were Papier (17′), Roos (19′), Louw (57′), Willemse (60′), Porthen (66′) and Kriel (78′), with Pollard adding five conversions and Horn slotting the sixth.

Next up for the Springboks is Wales next weekend, as the men in green and gold chase a perfect start to the inaugural Nations Championship, according to the match record at autumn-internationals.co.uk.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

South African golfer Michael Hollick produced one of the finishes of the season in Munich, closing birdie-eagle to win the BMW International Open and secure his first DP World Tour title at the age of 39.

Hollick began the final round as a joint leader but found himself three shots behind fellow South African Hennie du Plessis with two holes remaining. What followed was a composed late charge: a birdie at the 17th and a bold final-hole approach that left him a 20-foot putt for eagle and the championship.

He rolled it in to finish at 18 under par, one shot ahead of Du Plessis. The DP World Tour’s official report recorded a closing 67 containing an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried.

A finish built on courage

The decisive sequence required both accuracy and nerve. Hollick responded to a bogey at the 16th by striking his tee shot close at the par-three 17th and converting from six feet. On the last, he chose an attacking line that narrowly avoided the water before sending his approach to within 20 feet.

A birdie would have forced a play-off. The eagle putt instead secured an outright victory and sparked an emotional celebration. Golf Monthly’s account of the final round confirmed that Hollick won by one stroke after trailing by as many as three late in the day.

Du Plessis also delivered an excellent final-round 66 and earned one of the event’s two available places in The Open Championship. The leaderboard therefore carried a strong South African presence even as Hollick claimed the trophy.

A patient route to the top

The win carries extra meaning because Hollick’s path has not been straightforward. He told Golf Monthly that he had put his clubs away four years earlier and spent a year coaching full-time before rebuilding his playing career through Sunshine Tour events.

That persistence has now produced a maiden DP World Tour victory in his rookie campaign. Official tour statistics show that the result came in his 51st start, lifted him from 75th to 25th on the Race to Dubai rankings and moved him to a career-high 148th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Hollick became the third South African to win the BMW International Open, following Ernie Els in 2013 and Thriston Lawrence in 2023. The victory was also the seventh by a South African player on the 2026 Race to Dubai and the country’s 183rd on the DP World Tour.

A result that rewards belief

Elite sport often celebrates early breakthroughs, but Hollick’s achievement offers a different kind of inspiration. At 39, after stepping away from full-time competition and finding his way back, he delivered his finest result on one of golf’s major international stages.

The final putt will be remembered for its drama. The larger story is the patience behind it: years of work, a renewed opportunity and a South African golfer ready when his moment arrived.

This article was produced with AI assistance and editorially reviewed by Mzansi News Online.