‘I want to be the best in the world’: Dambile looks ahead after winning Commonwealth gold

Judoka Donne Breytenbach also stepped on the podium on day nine of the Games, securing the bronze medal in the women's -57kg division. With his first major individual title in the bag, sprinter Sinesipho Dambile says he has larger ambitions as he aims to dominate global 200m sprinting. Dambile won the men’s 200m final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday night, storming home in 19.96 seconds. He finished 0.13 clear of Nigerian silver medallist Udodi Onquzurike, who completed the half-lap race in 20.09. “It’s a beautiful moment. It’s something that I’ve been working for this season,” Dambile said. “Since I started performing in South Africa, winning the South African championship (it Stellenbosch in April) it was all just a build-up for this moment, and I did it where it matters the most.” A two time-former medallist at the World Athletics Relays, the 24-year-old speedster had enjoyed a superb 2026 campaign. After winning the SA title, he reached the podium at four Diamond League meetings, including a victory in Doha in June where he set a lightning fast 200m personal best of 19.74. Looking ahead, he was eager to continue gaining momentum as he aimed to dominate his specialist event on the international circuit. “I’m working to try to be the best 200m runner in the world,” Dambile said. “I know that I have a lot of improvement when it comes to the 200m, and I’m just being patient and working with the team. In other track and field finals in Glasgow on Friday, Douw Smith took fifth place in the men’s javelin throw with a best attempt of 82.88m, while Liezel Gouws was seventh in the women’s T38 long jump with a 4.38m leap (with the benefit of a +2.7m/s tailwind). Breytenbach secures judo medal Meanwhile, judoka Donne Breytenbach secured the bronze medal in the women’s -57kg division. Breytenbach beat Zambian opponent Sylvia Nawila in her quarter-final match, and though she lost to Yamini Mourya of India in her semifinal bout, she remained in contention for a podium place. In one of two bronze medal matches that were contested, she defeated Marie Begue of Mauritius. In other sports, track cyclist S’annara Grove finished 13th in the women’s 10km scratch final, while Mitchell Sparrow was third in his repechage heat of the men’s keirin event and was eliminated ahead of the semifinals. On the netball court, the Proteas defeated Uganda 62-54 in the play-offs to complete the tournament in fifth position. After nine days of competition at the multi-sport Games, South Africa were in seventh position in the overall standings with 25 medals (seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze).