Blitzboks rue defeat to England
The Blitzboks felt gutted not to add to the nation’s medal tally yesterday, captain Philip Snyman admitted, as they brought the curtain down on South Africa’s campaign after 11 days of action at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
The defending champions were 14-0 ahead at the break in the bronze medal play-off against England, but their opponents turned on the power in the second period to beat the South Africans 21-14.
Snyman, the flag-bearer for Team SA at the closing ceremony later yesterday, felt it was time for a new breed of Blitzboks to take the global stage.
“I think this team is so much better than losing the third/fourth game, so we need to go and make a couple of things right,” the skipper said.
“For the majority of the group, I think this will probably be their last Commonwealth Games, and then the youngsters must take the system forward, especially in two years’ time at the Olympic Games. They must learn from our mistakes.”
On Saturday, the national 4x100m relay team stormed home to snatch the silver medal on the track, earning the nation’s final podium place at the Games.
With Henricho Bruint- jies, Emile Erasmus and Anaso Jobodwana doing enough to keep them in contention, anchor Akani Simbine carried the quartet from fourth place to second on the final leg.
They crossed the line in 38.24 seconds, breaking the SA record of 38.35.
“All that was in my mind was ‘just get in front, get in front, just catch’... so I’m really happy I could push us into the medals and just get that medal for South Africa,” said Simbine, who won the individual 100m title earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, cyclist Clint Hendricks timed his sprint well to take bronze in the men’s road race.
Hendricks was third over the line in a bunch sprint, just off the pace of Australian winner Steele von Hoff and Welsh silver medallist Jonathan Mould.
The SA team took sixth place in the overall medals table, and while they climbed one place from their result at the previous edition of the Games in Glasgow four years ago, they bagged fewer medals with a total of 37, including 13 gold.
The track and field contingent made the largest contribution with 14 medals, and Chad le Clos was the squad’s best performer.
Le Clos scooped five medals for a career haul of 17 – one short of the overall Games record – as he became the most decorated swimmer in the history of the Commonwealths.