Two Commonwealth Games records fell the way of Pieter Coetze in the men’s 50m backstroke as Team SA’s swimmers laid down their markers on the opening swimming competition at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow. There was also the promise of a handful of medals coming Team SA’s way on Saturday.
The first Team SA medals of the 2026 Games also arrived, with Nathan Hendricks taking GOLD in the men’s S13 100m freestyle. The women’s 4x100m freestylers as well as the men’s 4x100m freestylers both took BRONZE. The latter marked a Commonwealth Games record 19 for Chad le Clos.
This is how Team SA’s fared on day two at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday.
BOXING
Men’s welterweight, 65kg, round of 32: Simamkele Damesi lost to Ziggy Agathe (Mauritius) when the referee stopped the contest 8 sec into the second round due to a cut eye. Agathe had won a competitive first round 10-9 on all five judges scorecards.
GYMNASTICS
Men’s Artistic Individual Qualification, sub division 2: Daniel McLean placed 9th with a total of 63.600.
LAWN BOWLS
Men’s singles, Section B, Round 2: Wayne Rittmuller beat Mitchell Graham (Norfolk) 11-2, 11-4 for his second straight victory.
Women’s Pairs, Section B, Round 2: Jackie Janse van Rensburg, Thabelo Muvhango lost to India 2-0 (6-4, 7-5)
PARA LAWN BOWLS
Para Mixed Pairs (B2-B3), Section A, Round 1: Princess Schroeder, Keith Orwell lost 2-0 (8-3, 6-1) to Scotland
Para Mixed Pairs (B2-B3), Section A, Round 2: Princess Schroeder, Keith Orwell lost 1.5-0.5 (9-2, 4-4) to Australia
SWIMMING
GAMES RECORD! Men’s 50m backstroke, heats: Pieter Coetze won his heat in 24.45sec sec to qualify for the semi-finals as fastest, with Ruard van Renen following him home in 24.78 to be 2nd fastest heading into the evening semi-finals.
GAMES RECORD! Men’s 50m backstroke, semi-finals: Pieter Coetze won his semi-final to qualify for the finals as fastest with another Games record. This time he won in 24.29sec. Ruard van Renen will have the lane next to him after winning his semi-final in 24.56 to be 2nd fastest heading into the final.
Men’s 200m IM, heats: Kris Mihaylov placed 7th in his race in 2:03.57, which left him 11th overall and missing out on a place in the final.
Men’s 100m breaststroke, heats: Michael Houlie placed 2nd in his heat in 1:00.14 to qualify for the semi-finals as 4th fastest, while Chris Smith was also 2nd in his heat in 1:00.86 which saw him qualify for the semi-finals 8th overall.
Men’s 100m breaststroke, semi-finals: Both Michael Houlie and Chris Smith went quicker in their evening semi-finals with Houlie 3rd in 1:00.03 and Smith 4th in 1:00.43 in the same race. Houlie qualified 5th fastest for the final and Smith was 8th quickest into the final.
Men’s 4x100m freestyle, heats: Team SA (Kris Mihaylov, Guy Brooks, Ruard van Renen, and Chad le Clos) finished 2nd in 3:18.14 to qualify for the final 4th fastest and medal candidates.
BRONZE! Men’s 4x100m freestyle, final: Team SA took 3rd place in 3:13.99. Piete Coetze led, with Guy Brooks (48.98) next and Ruard van Renen (48.34) doing hard yards before Chad le Clos finished off with a split of 48.29.
Women’s 50m butterfly, heats: Erin Gallagher won her heat in a Team SA 1-2, touching in 25.70, which qualified her 2nd fastest for the semi-finals. Caitlin de Lange was 2nd in 26.34 for 4th overall, while Jessica Thompson also won her heat, in 26.24, which left her 3rd fastest overall.
Women’s 50m butterfly, semi-finals: Erin Gallagher (25.69) led home Caitlin de Lange (26.28) in a Team SA 1-2, while Jessica Thompson was 3rd in the other semi-final in 26.02. Gallagher goes into the final as 2nd fastest, with Thompson 4th and De Lange 5th.
Women’s 400m freestyle, heats: Dune Coetzee finished 7th in her heat in 4:14.93, which was 12th fastest and missing out on a place in the final. Hannah Robertson finished 7th in her heat in 4:19.58, which left her at 18th on the overall timesheets and missing out on a place in the final.
Women’s 200m backstroke, heats: Hannah Pearse was 3rd in her heat in 2:12.37 to finish 9th overall and miss oit on a place in the final by 0.01 seconds.
Women’s 4x100m freestyle, heats: Team SA (Georgia Nel, Rebecca Meder, Jessica Thompson and Caitlin de Lange) finished 3rd in their heat in 3:43.87 to qualify for the evening final 5th fastest, but medal candidates.
BRONZE! Women’s 4x100m freestyle, final: Team SA took 3rd place in 3:38.67, an African record. Aimee Canny took off first, followed by Rebecca Meder, Erin Gallagher before a final leg 54.29 by Olivia Nel sealed the medal.
PARA SWIMMING
Men’s S13 100m freestyle, heats: Nathan Hendricks was 2nd in his heat in 56.66 and qualified 2nd fastest overall for the evening final.
GOLD! Men’s S13 100m freestyle, final: Nathan Hendricks led from start to finish to win 54.54, which was Team SA first medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Women’s S13 100m freestyle, heats: Danika Vyncke finished 3rd in her heat in 1:05.13 to qualify 3rd fastest for the final while Alani Ferreira was 8th in the heat in 1:06.95 and qualified 8th fastest for the final.
Women’s S13 100m freestyle, final (7.23pm): Danika Vyncke went faster in the evening and narrowly missed out on a medal when finishing 4th in 1:04.68, with Alani Ferreira 8th in 1:06.05.
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
Women 3×3: Team SA (Aviwe Ngoni, Michelle Moganedi, Ongezwa Hagu, Asive Gilife) lost 19-3 to Canada.
Compiled by Gary Lemke/Team SA
Photo of Pieter Coetze: Anton Geyser/Team SA