By Gary Lemke.
Photo Credit: Anton Geyser.
Sinesipho Dambile had arrived at the Commonwealth Games as the fastest entrant in the men’s 200m, and before anyone suggests it’s a watered-down event, his time of 19.74 in a Diamond League meeting in June placed him No4 on the world rankings for 2026.
Taking to the track at the Scotstoun Stadium, widely known as the home of rugby franchise Glasgow Warriors, with a backdrop of houses and a railway line, Dambile did not disappoint. He ran the perfect bend and turned on the after-burners down the straight on the striking blue track.
He hit the line in 19.82, keeping Aaron Brown of Canada behind him in 19.20. Mthi Mthimkulu, who said he would have preferred to have run the 400m, had been sitting in the hotseat after his fourth-placed semi-final finish in 20.39, but he missed out.
If he looks a gold medallist-in-waiting, young Masala Makutu, coached by two-time Paralympian Sheryl James, already has his medal. It came in the T12 100m and the silver is Team SA’s first of the track and field programme, adding to the 22 that the swimmers had finished with earlier in the week.
“I’m overwhelmed and privileged. I just came here to run and run a PB in my first Commonwealth Games, but God had other plans for me. I couldn’t see anything but could feel the guy on my left (Canada’s George Quarcoo in lane two) pushing me, and he might even have got ahead. But I pushed more to catch him, I was using him to run as fast as I can. After these Games I’m going to rest for a bit and when the season starts I want to try to qualify for the SA Nationals and then next year’s World Championships,” Team SA newest para-athlete medallist said, while draped in his country’s flag.
Dambile meanwhile cut a confident, relaxed figure as he was taken through his post-race media duties.
“I took it as preparation for the Ultimate Chamoionships coming later in the season where I’ve got to run two races in the same day. I was given a bye in the first round here but everybody would like to run in the heats to get rid of the rust, but I had to do it in the semi-final.
“I’m in great shape and I knew that anything can happen in terms of times. I don’t feel as if I’m under pressure as the favourite and I don’t put pressure on myself. My team wanted one thing of: to come here and enjoy myself and that’s what I’m doing.”
That enjoyment is rubbing off on the rest of Team SA and those supporting him from back home.
Marione Fourie followed up her strong morning performance with a 12.66 timing in the final of the 100m hurdes, admitting that while she would have preferred to win a bronze, she would bank the 4th place in the final and move forward. “I’m very hard on myself and I’m going to use this to work even harder,” she said.
Tanya Kavanagh, competing in her first Commonwealth Games after a breakthrough road season, ran a personal best 15:48.49 to finished a creditable 8th in the 5000m final, with Australia claiming a 1-2, Rose Davies winning gold in 14:44.53. She is undoubtedly better at this stage of her career over 10000m, so with this in the bank the South African has a lot to look forward to in the coming years.