Rare Glasgow double for Afrika

THE gold medal for stupidity goes to the thief who stole the cellphone belonging to SA's super-heavyweight boxer Paul Schafer. The device went missing at the athletes’ village this week, and Schafer quickly had the SA sim card cancelled. He had given up hope of finding the phone, which contained footage from the opening ceremony. But a few days later happy snaps of tourists in Tongan tracksuits, taking in the sights of Glasgow, suddenly appeared on Schafer's Facebook page. Team SA made an official approach to their Tonga counterparts and the phone was returned a few hours later. "I know who he is now," warned Schafer, but added: "I'm not going to smack him."

THE gold medal for opportunism was won by deputy Sports Minister Gert Oosthuizen, who hijacked an SABC TV interview with victorious lawn bowlers Tracy-Lee Botha and Colleen Piketh. Let’s hope this becomes an Olympic event.

AN eThekwini councillor was thrown into the deep end when she was asked to speak at a specially arranged luncheon in honour of the triumphant Blitzboks. The event was staged at Ekhaya, the governmentfunded “home-away-fromhome” in the centre of Glasgow. The municipal mampara, here to bat for Durban’s 2022 Games bid, said: “I would like to welcome the team and captain Chad Le Clos.”

GYMNAST Bianca Mann had a special supporter in the stands at Glasgow — grandfather Tom van Vollenhoven, the former Springbok winger who scored four tries in the 1955 series against the Lions. Van Vollenhoven, now 79, played for the Boks only seven times before joining the professional St Helens rugby league club, where he became a legend.

THE brain of the SA swimming team is Leith Shankland, who made his breakthrough at these Games with two relay medals. The freestyler, who scooped eight As in matric, has since graduated with a BCom.

THE most unusual name of the Games must surely go to English wrestler Chinu XXX. If he turned professional, would he make a mint?

BLITZBOK star Cecil Afrika can claim a rare Glasgow double. He carried the SA flag at the opening at Celtic Park, the home of soccer giants Celtic. Then he helped raise the SA flag again by scoring the decisive try against New Zealand at the Ibrox Stadium, the den of Celtic’s bitter rivals, Rangers. WONDER what the Scots REALLY think of bagpipes, which have been played at every single Games medal ceremony? A Glasgow journalist said: “I do like bagpipes. I have a brother who plays the bagpipes, but it’s not so nice listening to him at home.”