Glasgow will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 2, 2026, and it will be a massive event. Based on the stats, there will be more than 3000 athletes from a total of 74 nations and territories. It’s no surprise that South Africa will also be one of the representatives and we at Efirbet ZA decided to dive deep into the athletes that will compete for the country.
The Commonwealth Games will provide excellent betting opportunities, but before you decide what to wager on, it’s time to learn more about the athletes. Some are in a much better position to shine than others, and we hope our review will help you decide which ones stand out.
South Africa at the 2026 Commonwealth Games
Based on the initial stats, South Africa will send a total of 112 members to the games. Team SA should include a mixture of established champions, as well as young athletes looking to make their debut.
As always, swimming and athletics will be the two key disciplines that South Africans will most likely dominate. Gymnastics, netball and para swimming are also key events to pay close attention to. With that out of the way, here are some of the names you should probably focus on.
1. Akani Simbine – 100 Meters
If you learn more about sprinting, you will quickly discover that Akani Simbine is one of the most reliable sprinters ever. He has always been a top-tier choice for bettors and fans, and he eventually won the bronze medal in the 60m race at the 2025 World Indoor Championships.
What’s interesting is that the Commonwealth Games have provided Simbine with one of his best moments. A quick look at the 2018 games will show you that he won the 100m title. 4 Years later, the sprinter got the silver medal in Birmingham.
Even though he is not the youngest competitor, experts agree that his acceleration and ability to remain composed under pressure make him a serious contender. It definitely won’t be easy, however, because he will have to face Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya. It’s going to be one of those battles that sports fans will be eager to see.
2. Prudence Sekgodiso – 800 Meters
Prudence Sekgodiso is the next name on the list. She will go to Glasgow as one of South Africa’s leading athletes. Those who followed the 2025 World Indoor Championship in Nanjing may remember that she produced a historic result. In fact, she set a new record for South Africa after winning the 800m title.
Sekgodiso even became the first South African woman to win a World Indoor Championship medal. She went on to improve this result further, putting her in an excellent position for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Assuming she wins the games, it will give her a lot of motivation before the next Olympic cycle.
3. Zakithi Nene – 400 Meters
Zakithi Nene has single-handedly transformed South Africa into a force to be reckoned with in the men’s 400m. His performance during the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi made him the first man from his country to break the 44-second barrier. This result is so impressive that it placed him among the fastest one-lap runners in the entire world.
The 400m race won’t be easy because Nene has to face a lot of big names. He has to go up against some of the best from the Caribbean, which is one of the regions that usually stand out in this discipline. Nevertheless, his smooth running style can definitely make him a dangerous contender.
4. Jo-Ane du Plessis – Javelin
We agree that this discipline is not the go-to option for most bettors. Despite that, some people look for interesting options and this can be one of them because Jo-Ane du Plessis is one of the best in the world. She actually won the women’s javelin silver medal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
If you’ve followed the competition, you may remember that her best throw was 64.22 meters. Following the Olympic Games, she continued to compete at a high level and eventually got 4th at the World Championships, where she threw 63.06 meters.
Jo-Ane du Plessis has repeatedly shown that she can play well under pressure. She has the needed experience that will definitely give her more confidence. Plessis still lacks a Commonwealth title, so she will most likely step up her game to try and secure the victory.
5. Pieter Coetze – Backstroke
Swimming is one of South Africa’s best disciplines and Pieter Coetze is among the leading swimmers in the world. He recently won the gold medal during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Outside of that, he also got silver in the same competition in the 50m and 200m events.
The fact that Pieter Coetze can compete across three backstroke distances makes him a crucial player for South Africa. He has a good chance to bring in several medals, but it won’t be easy. The 50m requires speed and a perfect start, whereas the 100m combines speed and technical control. The 200m race, on the other hand, is more about endurance and tactical discipline and he has both.
It is also worth mentioning that Pieter Coetze is not new to the Commonwealth Games. He actually won the 100m backstroke title in 2022 and ended up with a silver medal in the 50m and a bronze in the 200m.
6. Lara van Niekerk – Breaststroke
On the topic of swimming, we also have the two-time Commonwealth champion Lara van Niekerk. No one can deny that she dominated the shorter women’s breaststroke events in 2022, especially the 50m and 100m races. She actually set a record for the 50m competition by reaching 29.73 seconds.
Bettors should know that defending a title can be more difficult than actually winning it for the first time. Lara van Niekerk will face some pressure, and her opponents know it, so expect challenges.
The good news is that she has already proven that she can manage the demands of a multi-round competition. Assuming everything goes well for her, Lara van Niekerk has an excellent chance to win a medal for her country.
7. Chad le Clos – Butterfly
We are continuing with the swimming theme with another top-tier South African superstar – Chad le Clos. He is in a league of his own when it comes to Commonwealth Games medals because he has 7 gold, four silver and seven bronze medals. Assuming he wins another medal in Glasgow, he will become the most decorated male athlete in the competition’s history.
Despite his age, Chad le Clos remains one of the top-tier athletes when it comes to Butterfly. His first-ever appearance at the Commonwealth Games. An interesting fact is that in 2014 (when the games were in Glasgow once again), he won 7 medals. Repeating this result will be easier said than done, but people believe he still has what it takes to achieve good results.
Bettors should be careful, as many younger swimmers can be challenging for experienced athletes. All he needs is just one medal and he will go down in history.
8. Caitlin Rooskrantz – Artistic Gymnastics
Women’s artistic gymnastics is unlikely to be on most bettors’ radar, but those who follow South African athletes could take a closer look. Caitlin Rooskrantz provides her country with an excellent opportunity to secure a medal. She played in the last two Olympic Games and even won the World Cup title in Cairo in 2022.
It’s true that she may not be able to challenge some of the best in the world, but the Commonwealth gymnastics is less challenging to begin with. This puts Caitlin Rooskrantz in a good position to try to secure a medal.
9. Christian Sadie – Para Swimming
Christian Sadie will undoubtedly be one of the big names that South Africans will rely on in Glasgow. He actually entered the competition after one of the strongest seasons of his career. Most recently, Sadie won 3 gold medals at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore.
What’s important to know is that he competes across several strokes and distances. Sadie is very versatile and has already represented his country in two Paralympic Games. This, plus the fact that he has extensive international experience, puts him in a good position to succeed.
10. Karla Pretorius – Netball
Netball is one of the more interesting sports you can bet on and if you decide to follow South Africa, pay special attention to Karla Pretorius. The Player of the Tournament at the 2019 Netball World Cup is one of the best in the world when it comes to this sport. Despite the fact that she did not play in 2025, Pretorius is back and even captained the Free State Crinums.
She definitely has the needed experience to lead SA’s netball team. Yes, South Africa has not won a medal from the netball Commonwealth Games yet, but this can change. Just keep in mind that the squad will go up against the likes of Australia, England, Jamaica and New Zealand.
