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South African relay swimming is aiming to mark its rebirth at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which gets under way on Friday. The showpiece will cater for only 10 sporting codes after the Scottish city stepped in following the Australian state of Victoria’s withdrawal as the original 2026 host. There aren’t going to be as many medals on offer at a spectacle where, in this millennium so far, South Africa’s tally has ranged from 46 in 2002 to as few as 27 four years ago.Backstroke star Pieter Coetzé — the world champion over the 100m and silver medallist in the 200m and 50m — is likely to be the standout individual performer, but the poolside relays are where South Africa is looking to find a new source of silverware. Athletics has shown relay investment can offer solid rewards, with the men’s 4x100m team winning Olympic silver at Paris 2024 and the men’s 4x400m team taking bronze at the 2025 world championships. The men’s 4x100m and the mixed 4x400m teams will be South Africa’s relay focus in track and field in Glasgow. In swimming, South Africa is entering seven out of the eight relays — the sole exception being the men’s 4x200m freestyle, which has weakened since they took bronze in 2014, the last time Glasgow played host. The last men’s swimming relay gong came in the 4x100m medley at Gold Coast 2018, and the last time the women reached the podium was in Manchester 24 years ago in the 4x100m medley, where Princess Charlene of Monaco was the backstroker. There have been only two gold-medal performances in the history of the Commonwealth Games: One was by the men’s Olympic champion 4x100m freestyle outfit at Melbourne 2006. The other was the women’s 4x110-yard freestyle team at Vancouver 1954, starring 1952 Olympic backstroke champion Joan Harrison. Also in that foursome was Toy Myburgh, who went on to win an Olympic relay bronze at Melbourne 1956. South Africa is unlikely to win any relays this time around, but there’s no shortage of medal potential in the seven team events:Friday sees the men and women in their respective 4x100m freestyle races, followed by the non-Olympic mixed 4x100m freestyle race on Saturday. On Monday the women’s 4x200m freestyle team is looking to lower the South African record to well under eight minutes while fighting for a spot among the top three. Tuesday will see what is potentially South Africa’s strongest swimming relay team in action, the mixed 4x100m medley, which is expected to star Coetzé. This event could be one of the country’s most realistic medal hopes at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The swimming concludes on Wednesday next week with the men’s and women’s 4x100m medley contests.Coetzé, who won gold, silver and bronze in his individual events at Birmingham 2022, is in the mix for four relays, but with three individual races he might have to cut one or two of the team events. Even without retired breaststroke queen Tatjana Smith, the class of 2026 will try to stake a claim to being the strongest women’s team, with: Kaylene Corbett, the world championship bronze medallist in the 200m breaststroke.Erin Gallagher, who made her Commonwealth debut in Glasgow 12 years ago.Aimee Canny.Rebecca Meder. Olivia Nel. Breaststroker Lara van Niekerk, who is looking to reclaim her form from Birmingham 2022 when she won two Games titles. Four years ago Smith, Van Niekerk, Gallagher and Corbett won six medals between them, equalling the biggest haul by South African women swimmers at a Commonwealth Games set in 2002. The men’s team has a mix of youth and experience, with breaststroker Chris Smith and world junior 200m butterfly champion Kris Mihaylov alongside veterans Chad Le Clos, who has 18 medals from four Commonwealth Games, resurgent breaststroke sprinter Michael Houlie and freestyle comeback king Calvyn Justus, another veteran of 2014.Outside the pool, the Proteas kick off their campaign against Malawi on Saturday night as they take aim at what would be a first-ever Games netball medal, but they must find a way to at least beat one of Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.Lawn bowls has been a good provider of silverware over the years, but this year’s truncated edition features only singles and pairs, all played indoors on a carpet. South Africa is also competing in the following: Artistic gymnastics.Boxing.Weightlifting.Judo. 3x3 wheelchair basketball.Track cycling.The athletics, also likely to produce multiple medals for South Africa, begins on Monday. The Games run until next Sunday. TimesLive
