Team SA’s successful 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign officially ended at the closing ceremony at The Hydro on Sunday night, where para athletics silver medallist Masala Makatu carried the flag.
The 20-year old who won the silver medal in the men’s T12 100 metres, was Team SA’s first medallist in the track and field competition at these Games. In total, Team SA return with 28 medals, one more than at Birmingham 2022, and placed 11th on the overall medals table.
In action on Sunday’s final day for Team SA were cyclists Mitchell Sparrow and S’annara Grove.
Sparrow was in the men’s 1000m time trial and finished 16th in 62.482sec. Grove was in the women’s elimination race where she finished 22nd.
There were 22 swimming and para swimming medals, 4 from athletics and para athletics and 2 from judo, from the squad of 112 athletes representing 10 sporting codes.
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, had officially declared the 2026 Commonwealth Games closed.
After that, iconic Scottish rock band Simple Minds brought the curtain down in fitting fashion with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, as a shower of white confetti filled the arena and sent the Commonwealth athletes on their way.