GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Following a dramatic opening two days of competition at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Day 3 of the athletics programme (Day 6 overall) delivered a packed schedule for Team South Africa at Scotstoun Stadium. Featuring finals, semi-finals, and preliminary rounds across both track, field, and para-athletics, South African athletes fought hard to advance to upcoming medal contests while testing themselves against world-class opposition.
Para-Athletics: T12 Sprinters Charge Into Four-Man Final
The highlight of the day for South Africa came in the visually impaired Men’s 100m T12 heats, where both South African entrants produced composed drives to book their places in the exclusive four-man final.
Nineteen-year-old Commonwealth Games debutant Masala Makatu delivered a sharp performance in Heat 1. The young sprinter from Limpopo, coached by fellow Paralympian Sheryl James, crossed the finish line in 11.05s (+2.2 m/s) to finish second in his heat and advance as the second-fastest qualifier overall.
Veteran sprinter Jaco Smit followed up with an equally decisive display in Heat 2. Smit took victory in his heat with a time of 11.11s (+2.5 m/s) to secure automatic qualification as the third-fastest qualifier overall. With two of the four lanes in the final featuring green and gold vests, Team SA has positioned itself strongly for medal success.
Later in the evening session, Collen Mahlalela lined up in the Men’s 100m T47 final. In a high-calibre sprint that saw a new Games Record set by India’s Dilip Mahadu Gavit, Mahlalela ran a solid Season’s Best of 11.31s (+2.0 m/s) to claim sixth place overall.
Track Qualification: Tshite Sub-4 Mile and Smith Shot Put Progress
In the middle-distance events, Tshepo Tshite executed a clever, highly strategic race in Heat 1 of the Men’s One Mile Round 1—an event making its historic return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 1966. Facing a stacked field that included local star Josh Kerr and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, Tshite maintained his position through a tactical pace, dipping under the four-minute mark to finish fifth in 3:59.52 (SB). His top-six heat finish earned him an automatic spot in the mile final.
In the field, 21-year-old African Champion Aiden Smith opened his campaign in the Men’s Shot Put qualifying round. Competing in Group B, Smith steadily built his series with attempts of 19.65m and 19.31m before launching a top throw of 19.86m on his third attempt. That effort placed him fourth in Group B and seventh overall across the field, comfortably inside the top-12 cutoff needed to advance to the medal round.
Finals and Heats Round-Up
In the Women’s Discus Throw F42-44/F61-64 final, Yane van der Merwe (F44) represented Team SA in a combined-class field. Van der Merwe threw a Season’s Best mark of 30.91m to secure a respectable seventh-place finish overall in a event that saw a new F42 World Record set by Nigeria’s Goodness Nwachukwu.
In the Women’s Shot Put final, 21-year-old African Champion Ashley Erasmus completed her debut Commonwealth Games campaign, placing 10th with a best attempt of 14.83m against an elite field.
On the track, Prudence Sekgodiso faced a formidable field in Semi-Final 1 of the Women’s 800m. Following her progression from the heats on Monday, Sekgodiso was unable to break into the top-three automatic qualifying spots in a fast race, crossing the line seventh in 2:01.57 to conclude her individual 800m campaign.
In the Men’s 200m Round 1, Mvuyo Moss placed third in Heat 4 with a time of 21.02s (+1.4 m/s). While a solid effort, it ranked him 29th overall, missing passage to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Sabelo Dhlamini contested Heat 2 of the Men’s 400m Hurdles Round 1, finishing fifth in 50.68s to rank 14th overall, just short of the time-qualifier cutoff.
Day 3 Summary of Results for Team SA
Athlete | Event | Phase | Result / Time | Placing | Status |
Masala Makatu | Men’s 100m T12 | Round 1 (Heat 1) | 11.05s | 2nd (Heat) / 2nd (Overall) | Qualified for Final |
Jaco Smit | Men’s 100m T12 | Round 1 (Heat 2) | 11.11s | 1st (Heat) / 3rd (Overall) | Qualified for Final |
Tshepo Tshite | Men’s 1 Mile | Round 1 (Heat 1) | 3:59.52 (SB) | 5th (Heat) / 13th (Overall) | Qualified for Final |
Aiden Smith | Men’s Shot Put | Qualifying (Group B) | 19.86m | 4th (Group) / 7th (Overall) | Qualified for Final |
Collen Mahlalela | Men’s 100m T47 | Final | 11.31s (SB) | 6th | Finalist (6th Place) |
Yane van der Merwe | Women’s Discus F42-44 | Final | 30.91m (SB) | 7th | Finalist (7th Place) |
Ashley Erasmus | Women’s Shot Put | Final | 14.83m | 10th | Finalist (10th Place) |
Prudence Sekgodiso | Women’s 800m | Semi-Final 1 | 2:01.57 | 7th (Heat) | Did Not Advance |
Sabelo Dhlamini | Men’s 400m Hurdles | Round 1 (Heat 2) | 50.68s | 5th (Heat) / 14th (Overall) | Did Not Advance |
Mvuyo Moss | Men’s 200m | Round 1 (Heat 4) | 21.02s | 3rd (Heat) / 29th (Overall) | Did Not Advance |
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