South Africa's Female Athletes Power Nation to 11th Place Finish at Glasgow Games
Women athletes deliver 11 medals as South Africa finishes 11th at Commonwealth Games
White confetti fell over the athletes at The Hydro on Sunday night as Prince Edward declared the 2026 Commonwealth Games closed, and South Africa’s women left Glasgow having earned eleven of the nation’s 28 medals across the fortnight of competition.
That overall haul placed South Africa 11th in the final standings, one medal and one position better than the Birmingham Games. The women’s contribution broke down to one gold, five silver and five bronze medals, plus a shared mixed relay silver. Swimming alone accounted for 22 of the team’s 28 medals, with Lara van Niekerk’s defended gold in the 50m breaststroke standing as the flagship achievement of the women’s program.
The closing weekend at Scotstoun Stadium produced one of the more compelling individual stories of the Games. Jo-Ané du Plessis, the Paris Olympic silver medallist in the javelin, competed in the women’s final on Saturday, 1 August 2026, just three weeks after back surgery in April. She finished sixth, landing five throws between 55.02m and 56.22m. Consistency under those circumstances said more than the placing did, and her sights remain set on Los Angeles.
By contrast, the judo mat offered a near-miss rather than a comeback story. Skye Knoester made her Games debut in the women’s 63kg category, navigating four bouts across the day. She opened with an ippon victory over Ghana’s Elizabeth Oduro, then lost by a single yuko to eventual champion Laurence Biron of Canada. A seven-minute repechage bout against Australia’s Maeve Coughlan followed, which Knoester won by ippon, before she faced India’s Unnati Sharma in the bronze medal match and fell short. One win away from the podium on debut is a narrow margin. Her teammate Donné Breytenbach had secured bronze in the 57kg the previous day.
The final day spread results across several disciplines. Karabo More finished 12th in the women’s mile, clocking 4:50.96 after a season’s best of 4:37.97 in the heats. Bridgit Herselman closed her singles campaign with a 4-7, 18-3, 1-0 tie-break victory over India’s Nayanmoni Saikia. Sheryl James placed eighth in the T38 200m final. S’annara Grove completed South Africa’s women’s track cycling program with 22nd in the elimination race on Sunday, following a 16th-place finish in the points race.
Masala Makatu carried the South African flag during the closing ceremony at The Hydro as Simple Minds performed and the confetti settled.
The netball team finished fifth. Full details of the women’s medal achievements and the broader Games performance are available at https://gsport.co.za/south-africas-women-sign-off-with-eleven-glasgow-medals/
Eleven medals across swimming, athletics, judo and racquet sports reflects genuine spread rather than reliance on a single discipline. Whether that breadth deepens further before Los Angeles is the question the squad now carries home.
Q&A
How many medals did South African women athletes win at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games?
South African women earned 11 of the nation's 28 medals, comprising one gold, five silver and five bronze medals, plus a shared mixed relay silver.
Which athlete won gold for South Africa's women at the Games?
Lara van Niekerk defended her gold medal in the 50m breaststroke, which stood as the flagship achievement of the women's program.
What was notable about Jo-Ané du Plessis's performance in the javelin?
Du Plessis, a Paris Olympic silver medallist, competed just three weeks after back surgery in April and finished sixth with throws between 55.02m and 56.22m, demonstrating consistency under difficult circumstances.
How did South Africa's overall medal performance compare to the previous Commonwealth Games?
South Africa placed 11th in the final standings, one medal and one position better than the Birmingham Games.