“All I wanted is to have fun and run a smooth race” - Dambile wins Commonwealth gold

After a number of medal hopefuls including Gift Leotlela (Men’s 100m), Marione Fourie (Women’s 100m Hurdles) and Aiden Smith (Men’s shot-put) finished in fourth place, it looked like South Africa’s track and field team might return from the Commonwealth Games whit an individual medal. But just two days before the end of the competition in Glasgow, Scotland, Team SA had reason to celebrate when Sinesipho Dambile produced a memorable performance to win the men’s 200m gold medal.

The reigning SA champion clocked 19.96 9 - his third sub 20 second clocking of 2026 - to storm to a commanding 0.13 victory over former world junior champion Udodi Onwuzurike of Nigeria (20.09) and Jamaica’s Christian Taylor (20.11). 

Dambile on the way to winning his first senior medal at a major global championships. Photo Credit: SASCOC.

“All I wanted to do is to have fun and run a smooth race,” he told the media in the mixed zone just moments after winning his semi-final in a blistering 19.82 to emerge as the favourite for the gold medal. 

Using the same strategy in last night’s final (31 July) Dambile became South Africa’s first half lap Commonwealth champion. After struggling with injury in 2023 and 2024, the victory was a full circle moment for the 24-year-old who won the 200m at the Doha leg of the Diamond League in a personal best 19.74 on the 19th of June. Dambile praised his coach Thabo Matebedi and training partners, saying they are one of the main reasons why he has been running well this season.

“It’s my team. I have the right people behind the scenes making sure that I stay healthy. I’m part of a beautiful project that we are building with Gift (Leotlela), Walaza (Bayanda) and a couple of the juniors. Our main goal is to just stay consistent in all that we do.”