The 2018 Commonwealth Games swing into action with tonight’s opening ceremony in Gold Coast Australia and Team South Africa are ready to roll.
The only sporting codes still missing are the men’s and women’s rugbys sevens code who will join the rest of the team in the Athletes Villageon Thursday.
It’s been confirmed that road cyclist Ashleigh Moolman will not jointhe team as she has not been released by her UCI team, Bigla.
Netball has two injury-enforced changes to their squad, with goalshooter Lenize Potgieter and goal shooter/goal attack Danelle Lochnerboth suffering ankle injuries.
The two have returned home for further treatment. Replacements for the two are Sigi Burger and Renske Stoltz respectively.
In swimming, due to programme scheduling, South Africa will not have a 4 x 200metre men’s relay squad.
Team spirit is high in the village as the mission to improve on their seventh place on the medals table at the last Games in Glasgow, Scotland four years ago gets underway.
Team South Africa are in action across six sporting codes on Thursday (5 April).
There are big expectations in the men’s triathlon, where Henri Schoeman and Richard Murray, third and fourth respectively at the 2016 Rio Olympics, are strong medal candidates.
Elsewhere, there are finals in the swimming.
Note: all times SA times. Local Gold Coast time is eight hours ahead.
BADMINTON
6:01am: Mixed Team, Group C: South Africa (Michelle Butler-Emmett, Elmé de Villiers, Bongani van Bodenstein, Prakash Vijayanath, Johanita Scholtz, Cameron Coetzer) vs Australia
BOWLS
4:00am: Women’s Singles, Section A, Round 2: Colleen Piketh (SA) vs Catherine Beattie (N Irl)
4:00am: Men’s Triples, Section A, Round 2: South Africa (Gerald Baker, Rudi Jacobs, Morgan Muvhan) vs Wales
8:00am: Women’s Fours, Section C, Round 1: South Africa (Elma Davis, Esme Kruger, Nicolene Neal, Johanna Snyman) vs Zambia
8:00am: Mixed B2/B3 Pairs, Section A, Round 1: South Africa (Philippus Walker; director: Annatjie van Rooyen and Princess Schreuder: director: Graham Ward) vs Australia
11:00am: Men’s Pairs, Section B, Round 2: South Africa (Petrus Breitenbach, Jason Evans) vs Wales
11:00am: Women’s Fours, Section C, Round 2: South Africa (Elma Davis, Esme Kruger, Nicolene Neal, Johanna Snyman) vs Norfolk Island
11:00am: Men’s B6/B7/B8 Triples, Section A, Round 1: South Africa (Tobias Botha, Willem Viljoen, Christopher Patton) vs England
CYCLING
6:53am: Qualifying, Women’s 4000m team pursuit: Elfried Wolfaardt, Ilze Bole, Adelia Neethling, Charlene du Preez, Danni van Niekerk
7:46am: Qualifying, Men’s 4000m team pursuit: David Maree, Steven van Heerden, Nolan Hoffman, Gert Fouche, Joshua van Wyk
11:52am: Women’s final
12:34pm: Men’s final
HOCKEY
6:32am: Women’s Pool A: South Africa v England
1:32pm: Men’s Pool A: South Africa v Scotland
SWIMMING
2:38am: Women’s 400m Individual Medley, Heat 2: Marlies Ross
2:47am: Men’s 400m freestyle, Heat 1: Eben Vorster
2:52am: Men’s 400m freestyle, Heat 1: Brent Szurdoki
3:00am: Women’s 200m freestyle, Heat 1: Kristen Bellingan
3:04am: Women’s 200m freestyle, Heat 2: Marlies Ross
3:07am: Women’s 200m freestyle, Heat 3: Duné Coetzee
3:30am: Men’s 50m butterfly, Heat 5: Ryan Coetzee, Brad Tandy
3:34am: Men’s 50m butterfly, Heat 7: Chad le Clos
3:40am: Women’s 50m breaststroke, Heat 2: Tatjana Schoenmaker
3:43am: Women’s 50m breaststroke, Heat 3: Kaylene Corbett
3:47am: Men’s 100m backstroke, Heat 1: Martin Binedell
3:50am: Men’s 100m backstroke, Heat 2: Calvyn Justus
3:50am: Women’s 50m breaststroke, Heat 4: Emily Visagie
4:00am: Women’s 100m butterfly, Heat 2: Duné Coetzee, Erin Gallagher
4:07am: Men’s 200m breaststroke, Heat 1: Ayrton Sweeney
4:11am: Men’s 200m breaststroke, Heat 2: Luan Grobbelaar
11:37am: Women’s 400m Individual Medley, Final: Marlies Ross (TBD)
11:46am: Men’s 400m freestyle, Final: Eben Vorster, Brent Szurdoki (TBD)
12:04pm: Women’s 200m freestyle, Final: Duné Coetzee, Kristen Bellingan, Marlies Ross (TBD)
12:52pm and 12:57pm: 50m butterfly, Semi-final: Brad Tandy, Chad le Clos, Ryan Coetzee (TBD)
1:02pm and 1:06pm: Women’s 50m breaststroke, Semi-finals: Tatjana Schoenmaker, Kaylene Corbett, Emily Visagie (TBD)
1:22 and 1:27pm: Men’s 100m backstroke, Semi-finals: Martin Binedell and Calvyn Justus (TBD)
1:33 and 1:38pm: Women’s 100m butterfly, Semi-finals: Duné Coetzee, Erin Gallagher (TBD)
1:44pm: Men’s 200m breaststroke, Final: Ayrton Sweeney and Luan Grobbelaar (TBD)
1:50pm: Women’s 4x100m freestyle, Final: Team South Africa
TRIATHLON
1:30am: Women’s Final: Gillian Sanders, Simone Ackermann
5:01am: Men’s Final: Richard Murray, Henri Schoeman, Wian Sullwald
