CHAD Le Clos delivered a golden sunset yesterday to cap Team South Africa's best day of the Commonwealth Games yet.
Le Clos, Cameron van der Burgh, Fanie van der Merwe and the men's trips lawn bowlers cashed in four shiny golds that, at least temporarily, saw SA leap-frog up the medals table from seventh position to fourth.
Le Clos bagged his fifth medal and second gold of the Games when he won the 100m butterfly in a Games record 51.29sec, the best time in the world so far this year.
"I wanted to go a little faster, below 51," Le Clos conceded, saying he wanted to throw down the gauntlet to Michael Phelps, on the comeback trail.
"At least I beat his best time," said Le Clos, who bids for two more medals tonight.
Van der Burgh avenged his 100m breaststroke defeat to Adam Peaty by edging him in the 50m breaststroke, holding on to win by two-hundredths of a second in front of the Englishman.
His 26.76 was also a Games record.
An emotional Van der Burgh, the defending Commonwealth and reigning world champion, was emotional afterwards, teared up as he spoke about what the win meant.
"It was one of the hardest races. The last 48 hours have been difficult," he admitted. "After the 100m I had no motivation. I used to come out with this fire in my chest.
"It's been very emotional. Me and my mom have been talking a lot. But now I have found that fire again."
Van der Burg explained he had never set new goals after winning the Olympic gold at London 2012, and he quickly dismissed the suggestion that he was close to retirement.
"Rio 2016 is definitely on the cards."
Cerebral palsy sprinter Van der Merwe, the Paralympic champion in 2012 and 2008, snatched up the Games title, ahead of second-placed countryman Charl du Toit.
The bowlers, with two novices, downed Northern Ireland 19-10 in the morning.
Prince Neluonde, who started playing bowls just four years ago, and Pierre Breitenbach, who got a late call-up to Scotland, played like stars alongside veteran skip Bobby Donnelly.
It was SA's third gold in lawn bowls, and they lead the medals table in that sport.
Neluonde, who hails from the Bryanston Sports Club, is the first black South African to represent the country at lawn bowls.
He started out as a greenkeeper at the club, like his father Bennett before him, and he has never looked back since showing promise in his first tournament.
"Most of my friends say they don't want to play bowls, they want to play soccer," says Neluonde, who has since been promoted to barman. "There's no money in bowls, they say."
But the 30-year-old, who doesn't drink, enjoys the psychological challenges of his new sport.
"Bowls is a mind game. You have to focus, you have to visualise what you are doing. In soccer you can just kick the ball all the way."
Breitenbach, 27, flew into Glasgow only a week ago after Rudy Jacobs injured his shoulder, but he delivered arguably the most crucial bowl of the match.
The opponents had narrowed SA's lead from 14-3 to 14-10 and in the 15th end they were sitting three woods to the good.
That's when Breitenbach drew a shot that changed the complexion of the end, allowing SA to win it by two shots.
Esmari van Reenen captured a silver in the women's 50m rifle prone, and she will hunt another medal today(SUBS:TUESDAY) in the 50m rifle three position.
East London-based boxers Ayabonga Sonjica, Siphiwe Lusizi and Tulz Mbenge all won their round-of-16 bouts to advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Victory in their next bouts on Wednesday will guarantee them medals.
On the athletics track Wayde van Niekerk easily progressed past the 400m heats.
But it wasn't all fun for SA.
Simon Magakwe, who broke the 10-second barrier in Pretoria earlier this year, and young Akani Simbine failed to qualify for tonight's 100m final.
And the men's hockey team were downed by Australia 0-6, with four of those goals coming from open play.
Perhaps it wasn't a bad result considering the Aussies had 29 shots at goal, while SA had only three.
SA jumps to 4th place in the Commonwealth medals table
CHAD Le Clos delivered a golden sunset yesterday to cap Team South Africa's best day of the Commonwealth Games yet.
Le Clos, Cameron van der Burgh, Fanie van der Merwe and the men's trips lawn bowlers cashed in four shiny golds that, at least temporarily, saw SA leap-frog up the medals table from seventh position to fourth.
Le Clos bagged his fifth medal and second gold of the Games when he won the 100m butterfly in a Games record 51.29sec, the best time in the world so far this year.
"I wanted to go a little faster, below 51," Le Clos conceded, saying he wanted to throw down the gauntlet to Michael Phelps, on the comeback trail.
"At least I beat his best time," said Le Clos, who bids for two more medals tonight.
Van der Burgh avenged his 100m breaststroke defeat to Adam Peaty by edging him in the 50m breaststroke, holding on to win by two-hundredths of a second in front of the Englishman.
His 26.76 was also a Games record.
An emotional Van der Burgh, the defending Commonwealth and reigning world champion, was emotional afterwards, teared up as he spoke about what the win meant.
"It was one of the hardest races. The last 48 hours have been difficult," he admitted. "After the 100m I had no motivation. I used to come out with this fire in my chest.
"It's been very emotional. Me and my mom have been talking a lot. But now I have found that fire again."
Van der Burg explained he had never set new goals after winning the Olympic gold at London 2012, and he quickly dismissed the suggestion that he was close to retirement.
"Rio 2016 is definitely on the cards."
Cerebral palsy sprinter Van der Merwe, the Paralympic champion in 2012 and 2008, snatched up the Games title, ahead of second-placed countryman Charl du Toit.
The bowlers, with two novices, downed Northern Ireland 19-10 in the morning.
Prince Neluonde, who started playing bowls just four years ago, and Pierre Breitenbach, who got a late call-up to Scotland, played like stars alongside veteran skip Bobby Donnelly.
It was SA's third gold in lawn bowls, and they lead the medals table in that sport.
Neluonde, who hails from the Bryanston Sports Club, is the first black South African to represent the country at lawn bowls.
He started out as a greenkeeper at the club, like his father Bennett before him, and he has never looked back since showing promise in his first tournament.
"Most of my friends say they don't want to play bowls, they want to play soccer," says Neluonde, who has since been promoted to barman. "There's no money in bowls, they say."
But the 30-year-old, who doesn't drink, enjoys the psychological challenges of his new sport.
"Bowls is a mind game. You have to focus, you have to visualise what you are doing. In soccer you can just kick the ball all the way."
Breitenbach, 27, flew into Glasgow only a week ago after Rudy Jacobs injured his shoulder, but he delivered arguably the most crucial bowl of the match.
The opponents had narrowed SA's lead from 14-3 to 14-10 and in the 15th end they were sitting three woods to the good.
That's when Breitenbach drew a shot that changed the complexion of the end, allowing SA to win it by two shots.
Esmari van Reenen captured a silver in the women's 50m rifle prone, and she will hunt another medal today(SUBS:TUESDAY) in the 50m rifle three position.
East London-based boxers Ayabonga Sonjica, Siphiwe Lusizi and Tulz Mbenge all won their round-of-16 bouts to advance to the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Victory in their next bouts on Wednesday will guarantee them medals.
On the athletics track Wayde van Niekerk easily progressed past the 400m heats.
But it wasn't all fun for SA.
Simon Magakwe, who broke the 10-second barrier in Pretoria earlier this year, and young Akani Simbine failed to qualify for tonight's 100m final.
And the men's hockey team were downed by Australia 0-6, with four of those goals coming from open play.
Perhaps it wasn't a bad result considering the Aussies had 29 shots at goal, while SA had only three.
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