Team South Africa’s netballers launched their Glasgow 2026 campaign with a commanding 65-44 win over Malawi, Elmere van der Berg converting at 92 per cent, in their Pool A opener at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Meeting Malawi for the 45th time, with 31 wins in the previous 44, South Africa edged a fiercely contested first quarter 18-12 and never let go, Karla Pretorius proving vital at the back against Malawi’s celebrated shooter Mwai Kumwenda as the lead stretched to 34-23 at halftime.
Coach Jenny van Dyk’s changes told in a 15-9 third quarter, Pretorius shifting to goalkeeper with Jamie Golob alongside her, before Karla Victor earned her first cap for South Africa in the final quarter, replacing captain Khanyisa Chawane at wing attack, as the side closed out the win ahead of Sunday’s 17h00 SAST meeting with Tonga.
In the pool, Erin Gallagher signed off her Commonwealth Games career with silver in the women’s 50m butterfly at Tollcross. Gallagher clocked 25.57 behind Australia’s Alex Perkins to claim a second successive Games silver in the event, twelve years after making her Games debut in the same city. “My first was in Glasgow in 2014, so I feel like I’ve come full circle with 2026 being in the same city,” said Gallagher. Jessica Thompson was fourth in 25.92, missing bronze by 0.16, with Caitlin de Lange sixth in 26.33.
The breaststrokers set up a golden Sunday night, with all three South Africans reaching the women’s 100m breaststroke final. Aimee Canny won both her heat and her semi-final to qualify second fastest, with Kaylene Corbett fifth fastest in 1:07.31 and Rebecca Meder seventh in 1:07.53.
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Olivia Nel, the relay bronze anchor, finished strongly for third in her 100m backstroke semi-final in 1:00.48 and goes into Sunday’s final as fifth fastest, after Thompson withdrew from the semi-finals and Hannah Pearse bowed out in the heats. Duné Coetzee, Georgia Nel and Hannah Robertson missed out on the 200m freestyle final.
In the women’s artistic gymnastics team final, Caitlin Rooskrantz, Naveen Daries, Zelme Daries, Karma Visagie and Buhle Nhleko placed fifth on 142.50 as Australia took gold ahead of Canada and England.
On the greens there was tie-break heartbreak again for Jackie Janse van Rensburg and Thabelo Muvhango, who shared the sets 7-4 and 4-6 with Namibia before losing the decider, while Princess Schroeder and Keith Orwell went down to England and Wales in the para mixed pairs.
The 100m breaststroke final at 20h20 carries South Africa’s strongest Sunday medal hope of the night, through Canny, Corbett and Meder, before Olivia Nel contests the 100m backstroke final at 21h20. The morning heats from 11h41 bring the women’s 100m freestyle for Canny, Olivia Nel and De Lange, and the 100m butterfly for Gallagher and Coetzee at 12h50, with semi-finals tonight.
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The netballers meet Tonga at 17h00, the women’s wheelchair 3×3 side faces Australia at 15h25, and on the greens the pairs meet England at 09h30 and Malta at 18h35, with Schroeder and Orwell against New Zealand at 21h25.
Original Copy: Team SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Proteas Women Goal Attack Kamogelo Maseko gauges the prospects of a shot on goal as South Africa beat Malawi comfortably to kick off their Commonwealth Games Pool A round with confidence at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday, 25 July 2026. Photo: Team SA
