Team South Africa Netballers Power Past Malawi in Glasgow 2026 Pool A Opener - gsport4girls
Team South Africa's netballers pulled clear of Malawi 65-44 in their Pool A opener with Karla Victor earning her first cap, while Erin Gallagher signed off her final Commonwealth Games with 50m butterfly silver Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday.
gsport ContributorJuly 26, 2026Team South Africa’s netballers launched their Glasgow 2026 campaign with a commanding 65-44 win over Malawi, Elmere van der Berg converting at 92 per cent, in their Pool A opener at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday, 25 July 2026. Meeting Malawi for the 45th time, with 31 wins in the previous 44, South Africa edged a fiercely contested first quarter 18-12 and never let go, Karla Pretorius proving vital at the back against Malawi’s celebrated shooter Mwai Kumwenda as the lead stretched to 34-23 at halftime. Coach Jenny van Dyk’s changes told in a 15-9 third quarter, Pretorius shifting to goalkeeper with Jamie Golob alongside her, before Karla Victor earned her first cap for South Africa in the final quarter, replacing captain Khanyisa Chawane at wing attack, as the side closed out the win ahead of Sunday’s 17h00 SAST meeting with Tonga. In the pool, Erin Gallagher signed off her Commonwealth Games career with silver in the women’s 50m butterfly at Tollcross. Gallagher clocked 25. 57 behind Australia’s Alex Perkins to claim a second successive Games silver in the event, twelve years after making her Games debut in the same city. “My first was in Glasgow in 2014, so I feel like I’ve come full circle with 2026 being in the same city,” said Gallagher. Jessica Thompson was fourth in 25. 92, missing bronze by 0. 16, with Caitlin de Lange sixth in 26. 33. The breaststrokers set up a golden Sunday night, with all three South Africans reaching the women’s 100m breaststroke final. Aimee Canny won both her heat and her semi-final to qualify second fastest, with Kaylene Corbett fifth fastest in 1:07. 31 and Rebecca Meder seventh in 1:07. 53. Olivia Nel, the relay bronze anchor, finished strongly for third in her 100m backstroke semi-final in 1:00. 48 and goes into Sunday’s final as fifth fastest, after Thompson withdrew from the semi-finals and Hannah Pearse bowed out in the heats. Duné Coetzee, Georgia Nel and Hannah Robertson missed out on the 200m freestyle final. In the women’s artistic gymnastics team final, Caitlin Rooskrantz, Naveen Daries, Zelme Daries, Karma Visagie and Buhle Nhleko placed fifth on 142. 50 as Australia took gold ahead of Canada and England. On the greens there was tie-break heartbreak again for Jackie Janse van Rensburg and Thabelo Muvhango, who shared the sets 7-4 and 4-6 with Namibia before losing the decider, while Princess Schroeder and Keith Orwell went down to England and Wales in the para mixed pairs. The 100m breaststroke final at 20h20 carries South Africa’s strongest Sunday medal hope of the night, through Canny, Corbett and Meder, before Olivia Nel contests the 100m backstroke final at 21h20. The morning heats from 11h41 bring the women’s 100m freestyle for Canny, Olivia Nel and De Lange, and the 100m butterfly for Gallagher and Coetzee at 12h50, with semi-finals tonight. 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Original Copy: Team SA, with editing by gsportMain Photo Caption: Proteas Women Goal Attack Kamogelo Maseko gauges the prospects of a shot on goal as South Africa beat Malawi comfortably to kick off their Commonwealth Games Pool A round with confidence at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday, 25 July 2026. Photo: Team SATags:100m backstroke,100m breaststroke,50m Butterfly,Aimee Canny,Alex Perkins,Artistic gymnastics,Bowls,Brand South Africa,Buhle Nhleko,Caitlin de Lange,Caitlin Rooskrantz,Commonwealth Games,Department of Sport Arts and Culture,DSAC,Dune Coetzee,Elmeré van der Berg,Erin Gallagher,Georgia Nel,Glasgow 2026,gsport,gsport Newsletter,gsport Newsroom,gsport4girls,Hannah Pearse,Hannah Robertson,Jackie Janse van Rensburg,Jamie Golob,Jenny van Dyk,Jessica Thompson,Karla Pretorius,Karla Victor,Karma Visagie,Kaylene Corbett,Keith Orwell,Khanyisa Chawane,Malawi Queens,Mwai Kumwenda,Naveen Daries,Netball,newsletter,Nicola Smith,Olivia Nel,OVO Hydro,Para Bowls,Pool A,Princess Schroeder,Rebecca Meder,Refiloe Nketsa,SABC,SABC Sport,silver medal,Swimming,Tarle Mathe,Team South Africa,Telkom,Thabelo Muvhango,Tollcross,Women’s Artistic Gymnastics,Women’s bowls,Women’s Netball,women’s pairs,Women’s Swimming,Zelme DariesPlease Rate this Post(0rating,0votes,rated)You need to be a registered member to rate this. 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