Scotstoun Stadium – The athletics program at the 2026 Commonwealth Games came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday, with Team South Africa adding two more medals to their tally on the final day of track and field action.
Riding high after Sinesipho Dambile’s electrifying 200m gold on Day 8, Team SA closed out their campaign in Glasgow with a display of resilience, highlighted by Kyle Rademeyer’s clutch silver medal in the pole vault and Zakithi Nene’s hard-fought bronze in the 400m final.
Rademeyer Vaults to Silver Glory
The field events delivered early drama for South Africa as Kyle Rademeyer put on a spectacular performance in the Men’s Pole Vault Final.
Rademeyer was in clinical form throughout the evening, clearing 5.30m, 5.50m, and 5.60m with clean first-attempt vaults before soaring over 5.70m to record a Season’s Best. That clearance proved decisive, securing him the silver medal behind Australia’s Kurtis Marschall (5.85m) and holding off England’s Owen Heard on countback.
Nene Fights for Bronze in 400m Thriller
In the Men’s 400m Final, Zakithi Nene capped off an impressive championship run by landing himself on the podium.
After sneaking into the final as a fastest loser from the semi-finals, Nene drew lane 2 for the medal match. Refusing to let the tight inner lane hold him back, he paced his race brilliantly down the back stretch and held his form into the home straight, crossing the finish line in 45.21 seconds to capture the bronze medal.
Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi took gold in a blistering 44.25s, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards claimed silver (44.82s).
Medal | Athlete | CGA | Event | Mark / Time |
🥈 Silver | Kyle Rademeyer | RSA | Men’s Pole Vault Final | 5.70m (SB) |
🥉 Bronze | Zakithi Nene | RSA | Men’s 400m Final | 45.21s |
Relay Heartbreak for Sprint Squad
The final session was not without its bitter disappointments. South Africa’s Men’s 4x100m relay team, comprising Mvuyo Moss, Cheswill Johnson, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine, looked destined for gold earlier in the day after dominating their heat. The quartet clocked a scorching 38.30 seconds to win Heat 2 comfortably.
However, fortune turned in the final. Despite a fast start, an infraction on the exchange zone resulted in a heartbreaking disqualification (DQ) for the South Africans, leaving Australia (38.07s) to claim gold ahead of Nigeria and Ghana.
Fighting Performances across Field & Distance Finals
Elsewhere on the final day, South African athletes pushed themselves against elite global competition:
- Men’s Shot Put F57 Final: Nicolaas Strydom produced a consistent series, with a top heave of 10.94m (equaling his Season’s Best) to finish just off the podium in 4th place.
- Women’s Javelin Final: Jo-Ane du Plessis held her own in a high-caliber competition, taking 6th place with a best throw of 56.22m.
- Women’s 200m T38 Final: Para-athlete Sheryl James gave a strong account of herself, placing 8th with a Season’s Best time of 29.34s.
- Men’s One Mile Final: Tshepo Tshite ran a tactical race in a world-class middle-distance field, stopping the clock at 3:57.43 (Season’s Best) to finish 10th.
- Women’s One Mile Final: Karabo More fought hard in her first major international mile final, finishing 12th in 4:50.96.
A Proud Finish in Glasgow
With the track and field program officially wrapped up, Team South Africa leaves Scotstoun Stadium with much to celebrate. From M. Makatu’s historic silver and Sinesipho Dambile’s golden blitz, to Kyle Rademeyer’s high-flying vault and Zakithi Nene’s bronze battle, South Africa’s track stars proved their pedigree on the Commonwealth stage.
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