Not even Akani Simbine could rescue the South African men’s 4x100m relay team in Glasgow last night.
Hopes of some late Commonwealth Games medals from the country’s two Olympic silver medallists — the relay team and javelin thrower Jo-Ane du Plessis — were quickly extinguished.
The relay outfit of Mvuyo Moss, Cheswill Johnson, Bradley Nkoana and Simbine — the same four men who won silver at World Relays in Gaborone in May in a 37.49sec national record — looked out of sorts as they got the baton around so slowly Simbine was a distant fifth.
Simbine had been fifth when receiving the baton at Paris 2024, and from there he ran them into second place, but last night he simply had too much ground to make up.
It didn’t matter anyway as South Africa and Olympic champions Canada, who had finished second, were disqualified.
Australia won in 38.07.
It was sad way to exit for Simbine, who first first showed his abilities at Glasgow 2014, where he ran the second-fastest anchor leg behind Jamaican Usain Bolt.
Best moments
And poor Du Plessis, who underwent back surgery in April, was unable to hit her straps, finishing sixth with a best effort of 56.22m.
Team South Africa’s best moments had come earlier in the day, when Zakithi took the 400m bronze and judoka Timothy Meuwsen won silver in the men’s -81kg class to lift the total haul to 27, the same as Birmingham 2022.
There were other medal hopes competing later last night.
Nene bounced back after a forgettable heat to take the 400m bronze yesterday afternoon, leaning so hard into his dip that he fell over onto the track.
Nene, who had faded badly in the home straight in the previous round, only got into the final after one of his heat rivals had been disqualified, promoting him to a fastest loser.
And the seasoned campaigner, the anchor of the South African 4x400m team that won world championship bronze in Tokyo last year, returned with a new strategy, going out at a more measured pace and leaving enough gas for the sprint for the line.
SA’s first medal
It worked a charm as he crossed the line in 45.21sec, just ahead of Botswana’s Lee Eppie (45.31), to secure South Africa’s first medal in this event since Wayde van Niekerk took silver at Glasgow 2014.
Nigerian Samuel Ogazi, the world No 1 this year, won in 44.25, with Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, the 200m champion in 2018 and 2022, second in 44.82.
Zambia’s defending champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Muzala Samukonga, was sixth in 45.61.
Meuwsen lost in the final to Amir Bin Abdul Majeed of Malaysia, who scored a waza-ari to win the four-minute match. The 24-year-old had needed 17 seconds to see off Samoan Peniamina Percival in his quarterfinal and then had to go to extra time — known as golden score — against Odysseas Georgakis of Cyprus before achieving an ippon.
Teammate Skye Knoester lost the bronze medal match in the women’s -63kg division, being floored for an ippon by India’s Unnati Sharma.
For the first time South Africa failed to win a Commonwealth Games medal in bowls, having done so not only since readmission at Victoria 1994 but from the inaugural showpiece in 1930 until isolation after 1958.
The tournament was played indoors and offered no triples or fours competitions.
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