Lara van Niekerk won GOLD in the women’s 50m breaststroke and Pieter Coetze also won GOLD in the men’s 100m backstroke as Team SA got on the medals table on day two of competition at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Elsewhere, the T20 women’s cricketers lost their opener to New Zealand, and the women’s netballers lost to Jamaica, but the men’s Sevens rugby players reached the semi-finals after beating Canada.
Team SA’s two golds lifted them to seventh on the latest medals table.
BADMINTON
Mixed Team event: Group D: South Africa 0 Malaysia 5
Mixed doubles: Jarred Elliott and Deidree Jordaan lost 2-0 (21-7, 21-8) to Teng Fong Chia and Koong Le Tan
Men’s singles: Caden Kakora lost 2-0 (21-11, 21-8) to Tze Yong Ng
Women’s singles: Johanna Scholtz lost 2-0 (21-5, 21-4) to Jin Wei Goh
Men’s doubles: Jarred Elliott and Robert Summers lost 2-0 (21-6, 21-9) to Peng Soon Chan and Kian Meng Tan
Women’s doubles: Deidree Jordaan and Johanna Scholtz lost 2-0 (21-18, 21-13) to Yea See Chea and Pel Jing Lal
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Pool B: SA 0 Rwanda 2
Grant Goldschmidt and Leo Williams lost 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) to Gatsinzi and Ntagengwa
BOXING
Men’s 57kg, Round of 32: Amzolele Dyeyi lost on points (5-0) to Hussam Uddin Mohammed (India)
CRICKET
T20 Women (Group B): South Africa 154-7 lost to New Zealand 167-2 by 13 runs
Team SA won the toss and put their opponents in to bat at Edgbaston. New Zealand were always travelling comfortably, with the lights on midway through the innings, and they reached 167-2 in their 20 overs. Suzie Bates top-scored for NZ with 91 not out, while 18 runs came off Ayabonga Khaka’s final over. Chloe Tryon’s 39 runs off 17 balls and Sune Luus (32 off 18) threatened to pull SA back into the contest, but they were always behind the run-rate in their chase.
GYMNASTICS
Team final, Individual qualification: Caitlin Rooskrantz, Naveen Daries, Shante Koti, Garcelle Napier and Mammule Rankoe reached the final. TeamSA finished fourth in the Team final, their best result since the 1994 Games.
HOCKEY
Men’s Pool A: South Africa 2 Pakistan 2
Team SA opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw, with goals by Connor Beauchamp and Matthew Guise-Brown. SA, who had 52% of the possession, will feel a little unlucky to not win. However, they were denied the victory with a goal in the final minute by Afraz, earning Pakistan a point.
LAWN BOWLS
Women’s singles, Section C, Round 3: Colleen Piketh lost 21-18 to Shae Wilson (Norfolk Island). Piketh now has a W1 L2 record
Para Women’s Pairs B6-B8, Section A, Round 3: vs Australia (Desiree Levin, Victoria van der Merwe lost 18-7 to Australia. The SA pair now have a W2 L1 record.
Women’s Fours, Section B, Round 3: Johanna Snyman, Esme Kruger, Bridgit Calitz and Thabelo Muvhango drew 14-14 with New Zealand. They now have a W2 D1 record.
Men’s Pairs B6-B8, Section A, Round 3: Willem Viljoen and Deon van der Vyver lost 18-10 to Scotland. The SA bowlers have a L2 D1 record.
Men’s Pairs B6-B8, Section A, Round 4: Willem Viljoen and Deon van der Vyver lost 17-7 to New Zealand. They now have a L3 D1 record.
Men’s Pairs: Section D, Round 3: Prince Nelounde and Wayne Rittmuller beat Australia 17-8. They have won all three of their matches so far.
Men’s Trips, Section D, Round 3: Jason Evans, Petrus Breitenbach and Bradley Robinson beat Malaysia 17-12. They now have a W1 L2 record.
NETBALL
Women’s Pool A: South Africa 49 Jamaica 68
South Africa were always trailing in their Games opener, although finished the stronger by winning the final quarter. The quarter scores (Jamaica first): 18-7, 19-12, 17-12, 14-18.
PARA ATHLETICS
T53-54, Men’s marathon: Tiaan Bosch finished eighth in 2:05.57. Johnboy Smith of England took the gold in 1:41:15 with Sean Frame of Scotland in silver, 4:34 behind.
RUGBY SEVENS
Women, Pool B: South Africa 12 Scotland 33
Team SA lost their third straight pool match, but were able to get on the scoreboard after two tough defeats against Australia (38-0) and Fiji (41-0). Liske Lategan and Donelle Snyders were the try scorers for Team SA. The half-time score was 26-5 to Scotland.
Women’s 5th-8th playoffs: South Africa 0 England 36
England led 12-0 at half time and stretched further ahead to consign Team SA to their fourth defeat of the Games.
Men, Pool B: South Africa 34 Scotland 0
Team SA reached the quarter-finals by going through their pool unbeaten. They beat Malaysia 46-0, Tonga 36-5 and Scotland 34-0, conceding only one try in three games. Angelo Davids (3), Selvyn Davids, JC Pretorius and Shaun Williams crossed the tryline for SA, who led 10-0 at half time.
Men’s Quarter-finals SA 33 Canada 0
Team SA reached the semi-finals and pushed themselves into medal contention with a strong performance. Tries by Ronald Brown (2), Angelo Davids, Christie Grobbelaar and Mfundo Ndhlovu sealed the victory. Team SA led 21-0 at half time.
SWIMMING
Men’s 200m freestyle, heats: Matt Sates finished second in his heat in 1:48.25, while Andrew Ross finished fifth in 1:49.75. Sates qualified seventh fastest for the final, while Ross placed 18th overall and missed out.
Final: Matt Sates finished sixth in 1:47.45, with gold going to Scotland’s Duncan Scott in 1:45.02.
Men’s 100m breaststroke, heats: Brenden Crawford finished third behind Adam Peaty in 1:01.11, while Michael Houlie was sixth in 1:01.62. Both qualified for the semi-finals, in eighth and 12th positions respectively.
Semi-final: Brenden Crawford finished fourth in the opening semi-final 1:04.64 and Michael Houlie was fifth in 1:01.24. Crawford qualified for the final as eighth fastest, but Houlie (12th) missed out.
Men’s 400m IM, heats: Matt Sates finished second in his heat in 4:19.04 and qualified third fastest for the final.
Final: Matt Sates finished fourth in 4:16.61. Lewis Clareburt, of NZ, took gold in a Games record 4:08.70.
Men’s 100m backstroke, final: Pieter Coetze claimed GOLD! in 53.78.
Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, heats: Team SA (Guy Brooks, Clayton Jimmie, Andrew Ross, Brenden Crawford) finished third behind Australia and England and qualified sixth fastest into the final.
Final: Guy Brooks, Clayton Jimmie, Andrew Ross and Brenden Crawford finished sixth in 3:23.41. Australia won gold in a Games record 3:11.12.
Women’s 50m freestyle, heats: Emma Chelius finished second in her heat in 25.11, while Olivia Nel was fourth in her heat in 25.40 and Erin Gallagher fifth in 25.54. They all qualified for the semi-finals in fifth, eighth and 10th position, respectively.
Semi-finals: Gallagher finished fourth in the first semi in 25.31, with Olivia Nel fifth 25.38. In the second semi, Emma Chelius finished third in 24.94. Chelius (fifth) and Gallagher (seventh) moved into the finals while Nel (ninth) is first reserve.
Women’s 100m backstroke, heats: Rebecca Meder finished fourth in a PB 1:01.78, which was seventh fastest heading into the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: Rebecca Meder finished fourth in her semi in another PB 1:01.71 and qualified for the final eighth fastest.
Women’s 50m breaststroke, final: GOLD!! Lara van Niekerk won gold in a Games record 29.73 with Tatjana Schoenmaker fourth in 30.41 and Kaylene Corbett sixth in 31.10.
Women’s S13 50m freestyle, final: Alani Ferreira finished seventh in 30.89 and Cornelle Leach finished eighth in 31.34.
Women’s 4x100m freestyle, final: Aimee Canny, Emma Chelius, Olivia Nel and Erin Gallagher finished fourth in 3:40.31.
TABLE TENNIS
Women’s Group 2: South Africa 3 Fiji 0
Doubles: Lailaa Edwards, Danisha Patel bt Grace Yee, Carolyn Li 3-0 (11-3, 11-5, 13-11)
Singles: Misfiquh Kalam bt Touea Titana 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-4)
Singles: Danisha Patel bt Grace Yee 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-8)
Men’s Group 2: South Africa 1 Ghana 3
Doubles: Shaun Jones and Kirshwan Steyn lost 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-8) to Emmanuel Commey and Derek Abrefa
Singles: Chetan Nathoo beat Emmanuel Asante 3-2 (11-13, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8)
Singles: Shaun Jones lost to Derek Abrefa 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 11-2)
Singles: Chetan Nathoo lost to Emmanuel Commey 3-0 (11-9, 14-12, 11-5)
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL (3×3)
Women, Group B: SA 2 Scotland 16
Compiled by Gary Lemke/Team SA
Photo: Anton Geyser