Glosgow — Team South Africa made a massive splash on the opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games pool program, securing a gold medal, two relay bronzes, and a slew of records. But the crowning moment of the evening belonged to a familiar face rewriting the history books: Chad le Clos.
Here is how the action unfolded for Team SA on a thrilling first day of competition.
Golden Start for Hendricks
The first medal of the 2026 Games for Team SA was none other than gold. Competing in the Para Men’s T13 100m Freestyle, Nathan Hendricks delivered a stunning performance. After a controlled swim in the heats (56.66) to qualify second, Hendricks found another gear in the final. He touched the wall in a blistering 54.54 to secure the top step of the podium and claim South Africa’s first gold medal of the Games.
Relay Bronzes and Continental Records
The momentum continued into the team events, where the South African women set a new benchmark.
The quartet of Aimee Canny, Rebecca Meder, Erin Gallagher, and Olivia Nel teamed up in the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle final to secure a brilliant bronze medal. Their exceptional time of 3:38.67 was not only enough to secure a spot on the podium behind Australia and England but also shattered the African Record in the process.
Not to be outdone, the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle relay team followed suit. The squad of Pieter Coetze, Guy Brooks, Ruard van Renen, and Chad le Clos put together a powerhouse race to claim bronze with a time of 3:13.99, finishing behind Australia and England.
Le Clos Makes Commonwealth History
While the men’s relay bronze was a massive team achievement, it held profound historical significance for the anchor leg. With this medal, Chad le Clos secured his 19th career Commonwealth Games medal, officially surpassing shooters Phillip Adams (Australia) and Mick Gault (England).
Le Clos now stands entirely alone as the most decorated male athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games, a monumental milestone that cements his legacy as one of the greatest athletes the event has ever seen.
Coetze Sets the Pace
The individual events also saw South Africans dominating the clock. Defending champion Pieter Coetze proved he is in red-hot form in the Men’s 50m Backstroke. He didn’t just win his races; he dismantled the Games Record twice in one day.
Coetze set a new Commonwealth Games Record in his morning heat with a time of 24.45, only to return in the evening semifinals and lower it even further to a blistering 24.29. He heads into the final as the heavy favourite for gold, joined by teammate Ruard van Renen, who won his own semifinal in 24.56.
Elsewhere, Danika Vyncke etched her name into the record books, setting a new African Record in the Para Women’s T13 100m Freestyle heats with a time of 1:05.13 before advancing to the final alongside teammate Alani Ferreira (1:06.95).
Looking Ahead: Depth in the Finals
Team SA’s depth was on full display as a wave of athletes successfully navigated their heats and semifinals to book their spots in upcoming finals:
- Women’s 50m Butterfly: It will be a crowded final for Team SA, with Erin Gallagher (25.69), Caitlin de Lange (26.28), and Jessica Thompson (26.02) all successfully qualifying.
- Men’s 100m Breaststroke: Michael Houlie (1:00.03) and Clayton Smith (1:00.43) both secured their lanes in the final with strong semifinal swims.
If Day 1 is any indication of what’s to come, Team South Africa is just getting started in the pool.
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