Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has praised Team South Africa after the country won 28 medals at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
South Africa finished 11th on the medal table with seven golds, 11 silvers and 10 bronze medals, completing one of its strongest performances at the multi-sport event.
“Twenty-eight medals, and the remainder of our athletes are still racing tonight. This team went to Glasgow and did us proud,” McKenzie said.
The minister congratulated the athletes and said their performances had made the country proud. He also acknowledged the contribution of the coaches, support staff and families who supported the team during the Games.
Swimming was the dominant contributor to South Africa’s total, accounting for 22 of the 28 medals.
Pieter Coetze was among the leading performers in Glasgow. The 22-year-old won all three men’s backstroke events, taking gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m races. He also set six Commonwealth Games records.
Chad le Clos added another significant achievement to his distinguished career. The swimmer finished the Games with 21 medals across five editions, making him the most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history.
McKenzie described Le Clos as an athlete who “will live in the hearts and minds of South Africans forever.”
Lara van Niekerk retained her women’s 50m breaststroke title, while Aimee Canny and Erin Gallagher each won four medals. Michael Houlie, Kaylene Corbett and Olivia Nel also contributed to the swimming haul, alongside South Africa’s relay teams. Several of those relay squads set African records.
Sinesipho Dambile produced another historic moment for South Africa by winning the men’s 200m title in 19.96 seconds. He became the first South African to claim Commonwealth Games gold in the event.
“It took sixty-eight years. That is how long this country has waited for any medal in that event, and Sinesipho then went out and won the whole thing,” McKenzie said.
Donne Breytenbach also secured a place in South African sporting history after taking bronze in the women’s under-57kg division. Her result gave South Africa its first Commonwealth Games judo medal.
Para-athletes supplied five medals to the overall total. Nathan Hendricks, Christian Sadie, Danika Vyncke and Masala Makatu all finished on the podium during the Games.
McKenzie praised their achievements and said they had provided an example for aspiring athletes throughout the country.
The minister confirmed that his department would organise an official reception when the full South African team had returned from Glasgow. He thanked everyone involved in the campaign, including the athletes’ families, for helping the team achieve its medal tally.
South Africa’s final count of seven gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals placed the country 11th in the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games standings.
