The TEAM representing South Africa at this year’s Commonwealth Games is made up of experienced and young players who are expected to win medals in different sports.
The games, which will start tomorrow and wrap up on August 2, will be held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.
It will be the second time it is held in this city as it was played there in 2014.
There are 112 players and athletes who will represent this in 10 different sports, including the disabled.
The number has decreased compared to the Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England, in 2022, where 19 different sports were contested.
That year, the local team returned with 27 medals, seven gold, nine silver and 11 bronze.
Among the players who won gold for South Africa in the previous games who are on the defensive, are young swimmers, Pieter Coetze (22) and Lara van Niekerk (23).
Coetze is still among the best in the world in the backstroke in the distances of 100m and 200m, while Van Niekerk is trained to defend his titles in the breaststroke in the distance of 50m and 100m.
Apart from these, there are veterans who are expected to increase the medals they have collected in the competition in the past years, including swimmer Chad le Clos (34) and athlete Akani Simbine (32).
Le Clos, who has 18 medals in the history of this tournament, may set a new record if he does not get more in Glasgow.
Simbine won the 100m race at the 2018 games, and silver in the 100m relay, and won another silver in the relay in 2022.
There are many other athletes who are doing well in their games and races who have the opportunity to return with medals.
Among them are the short distances Gift Leotlela; Bradley Nkoana, Cheswill Johnson, Sinesipho Dambile and others, 400m runners namely Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay, and long distance runners including Tshepo Tshite.
For the women, athletes Prudence Sekgodiso in 800m, Karabo More in 1500m, Tayla Kavanagh in 5000m and 10 000m and Jo-Ane du Plessis in javelin will be watched.
“It is very exciting to see this team, which is a mixture of young and experienced players, all willing to do their best to win for South Africa. We are going to Glasgow hoping to do well in these games and we are looking forward to seeing them move forward,” commented the chief executive of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic and Paralympic Committee (Sascoc), Nozipho Jafta.
The absence of rugby this year means that the Blitzbokke will not be able to defend the gold they won in Birmingham.
The local team that is expected to fight for the medals is the women’s netball team, although they will be facing the best countries in the world including Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica.
Other sports that will be contested are gymnastics, cycling, weightlifting, boxing, judo, basketball and bowls.