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Commonwealth Games 2018: South Africans to watch on Friday, and Thursday’s recap

Commonwealth Games 2018: South Africans to watch on Friday, and Thursday’s recap

Team South Africa has its first gold of the Commonwealth Games after an impressive performance by triathlete Henri Schoeman. Want to plan your viewing? Here’s Friday’s highlights – and a recap of how it all went down on Thursday. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

The Commonwealth Games is in full swing and Team South Africa bagged their first medal on Thursday, with Henri Schoeman completing a sensational win in the triathlon.

Schoeman added to his Olympic bronze with an impressive 52:31 win in the men’s triathlon, beating local favourite Jake Birtwhistle.

Schoeman’s fellow South African, Richard Murray, bronze medallist at the Glasgow Games four years ago, had to settle for sixth, 33 seconds back.

Wian Sullwald, former world youth champion, said he was still suffering from illness and ended 20th, +3:39 back.

In the late sessions in the pool, where the majority of South Africans were competing on day one, Chad le Clos and  Ryan Coetzee both progressed to the finals of the 50m fly.

Le Clos finished as the fastest qualifier. Brad Tandy was the only session in the pool to miss out on a spot in the final.

In the women’s 50m breaststroke, Tatjana Schoenmaker, qualified for the final. The 23-year old was impressive in her heat earlier in the day, finishing second and setting an African record with a time of 30.92.

In the men’s 100m backstroke Martin Binedell and Calvyn Justus both make it to the semi-finals, but neither progressed further than that.

Then, in the women’s 100m butterfly semis, Erin Gallagher missed out on a spot in the finals, despite finishing fourth in her race.

And finally, in the women’s  4x100m freestyle, Team South Africa finished stone cold last in a race where Australia broke the World Record.

Le Clos is South Africa’s medal hope on day two.

Here’s what you can expect on Friday.

Badminton

Back with the badminton and it’s good news if you’re suffering from insomnia with South Africa’s mixed team playing England at 1:01. They’re back in action by mid morning, taking on Uganda.

Bowls

If you prefer something a bit more sedate for your sleepless woes, bowls begins from 1:00 with several South Africans competing – the full list can be found below.

1.01: Preliminary, Men’s Triples: Gerald Baker, Rudi Jacobs, Morgan Muvhango v Papua New Guinea

1.01am: Preliminary, Women’s Singles: Colleen Piketh v Malia Kioa (Tonga)

4:00: Preliminary, Men’s Triples: Gerald Baker, Rudi Jacobs, Morgan Muvhango v England

4:00: Preliminary, Women’s Singles: Colleen Piketh v Karen Murphy (Australia)

8:01 Preliminary, Men’s Pairs: Petrus Breitenbach, Jason Evans v Jamaica

8:00 Preliminary, B2/B3 Mixed Pairs: Princess Schroeder, Phillip Walker v New Zealand

8:00: Preliminary, Women’s Fours: Elma Davis, Esme Kruger, Nicolene Neal, Johanna Snyman

11:00: Preliminary, Men’s Pairs: Petrus Breitenbach, Jason Evans v Northern Ireland

11:00: Preliminary, Mixed B6/B7/B8 Triples: Tobias Botha, Willem Viljoen, Christopher Patton v Australia

11:00: Preliminary, Women’s Fours: Elma Davis, Esme Kruger, Nicolene Neal, Johanna Snyman v Jersey

Boxing

Onto something a bit more exciting, in the men’s 46-49kg, Siyabulela Mphongoshi will fight Sri Lanka’s Thikwanka Ranasinghe at 4:02.

Cycling

5:24: Women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit: Elfriede Wolfaardt, Charlene du Preez, Danielle van Niekerk

11:30: Women’s Final (TBC)

7:15: Mens’ 4000m Individual Pursuit: Steven van Heerden, Gert Fouche, Joshua van Wyk

12:14: Men’s Final (TBC)

Gymnastics

1:09: Women’s artistic, Qualification: Claudia Cummins, Naveen Daries

8:09: Finals (TBC)

Watch out for: Naveen Daries

Naveen Daries will make her senior Commonwealth Games debut in the Gold Coast this year. The 16-year-old took up gymnastics while still in pre-school after she was inspired by other gymnasts on television.

She has represented South Africa at a number of international events, including the 2017 World Championships in Canada and the Junior Commonwealth Games Championships in 2016.

At the 2017 Championships, Daries was part of the South African gymnastics team who, at the time, clinched the country’s “best ever” performance at a World Championships. She finished 39th overall out of 146 competitors.

Prior to that performance, South Africa’s best finish at worlds came four years ago when the now-retired Kirsten Beckett ended 46th in Antwerp, Belgium.

Netball

South Africa will play Jamaica at 7:02.

Swimming

As will be the case throughout the Games, there’s a huge swimming line-up to look forward to beginning in the early hours. Chad le Clos will be back in action, this time in the 200m freestyle.

Watch out for: Cameron van der Burgh

A veteran of South African swimming, Cameron van der Burgh is Africa’s first home-trained world record holder and individual male Olympic Champion and makes his first appearance in the pool on Friday.

With a multitude of records and medals cross from the Fina World Championships to the Olympics, Van der Burgh had his first taste of Commonwealth Games action back in 2010 and he’s not looked back since.

However, by his own admission, there is always room for improvement and that’s exactly what he’ll be hoping for this year.

It will be the last time the swimmer takes part in the Commonwealth Games with his next target being the 2022 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Full list of swimmers in action on Friday, 6 April 2018

To come:

Men’s 50m Butterfly final (7.37pm Aus time, 11.37am SA time): Chad le Clos, Ryan Coetzee

Women’s 50m Breaststroke final (7.41pm Aus time, 11.41am SA time): Tatyana Schoenmaker

Men’s 200m Freestyle final (7.56pm Aus time, 11.56am SA time): Chad le Clos

Women’s 50m Freestyle, Semi-finals (8.12pm Aus time, 12.17pm SA time): Erin Gallagher, Emma Chelius

Men’s 100m Breaststroke, Semi-final(8.32pm Aus time, 12.32pm SA time): Cameron van der Burgh, Michael Houlie

Women’s 100m Backstroke, Semi-finals(8.55pm Aus time, 12.55pm SA time):  Nathania van Niekerk

Men’s 400m Individual Medley, Final (9.17pm Aus time, 1.17pm SA time): Ayrton Sweeney

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle, Final (10.07pm Aus time, 2.07m SA time): Team SA

Weightlifting

If you want to see how it’s done properly, check out Johanni Taljaard in the finals of the women’s 58kg at 10:30.

A recap of Thursday’s highlights and lowlights

In the women’s hockey, South Africa lost 2-0 to pool favourites England.

In the women’s triathlon, Gillian Sanders, two-time Commonwealth Games competitor, ended 15th while Simone Ackermann finished 18th, +9:03 back. She took a tumble just one round into the bike leg.

In the men’s 4000m cycling team pursuit, the South African men’s side ended sixth out of eight sides. Steve Van Heerden, David Maree, Nolan Hoffman and Gert Fouche rewrote the record books, though, beating South Africa previous best set at the 2014 Glasgow Games as they rode a time of 4:11.711.

The women’s team, in the same discipline, also set the South African record. It was the first time South Africa entered a women’s team for this pursuit of the track. Charlene du Preez, Adelia Neethling and Elfriede Wolfaardt ended sixth of seven teams in qualifying, setting a new South African best of 4:51.224.

In the late sessions in the pool, where the majority of South Africans were competing on day one, Chad le Clos and  Ryan Coetzee both progressed to the finals of the 50m fly. 

Le Clos finished as the fastest qualifier. Brad Tandy was the only session in the pool to miss out on a spot in the final. 

In the women’s 50m breaststroke, Tatjana Schoenmaker, qualified for the final. The 23-year old was impressive in her heat earlier in the day, finishing second and setting an African record with a time of 30.92. 

In the men’s 100m backstroke Martin Binedell and Calvyn Justus both make it to the semi-finals, but neither progressed further than that.  

Then, in the women’s 100m butterfly semis, Erin Gallagher missed out on a spot in the finals, despite finishing fourth in her race. 

And finally, in the women’s  4x100m freestyle, Team South Africa finished stone cold last in a race where Australia broke the World Record.

For a full list of results of South African athletes on day one of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, visit teamsa.co.za. DM

Photo: Henri Schoeman of South Africa crosses the finish line to win the gold medal during the Men’s Triathlon at the XXI Commonwealth Games at Southport Broadwater Parklands, on the Gold Coast, Thursday, April 5, 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

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