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South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile won the first big gold of his career in 2026, taking the Commonwealth Games 200 metres title in Glasgow. It was special for so many reasons. When he was growing up, he remembered vividly Akanni Simbine coming to his school to speak to them about winning the 2018 Commonwealth 100 metres gold. Sinesipho made the most of the opportunity to ask South Africa’s brand-new Commonwealth sprint champion plenty of questions – and later Simbine wouldn’t just be a mentor, he’d be a team-mate as well.
We relive the semi-final and the final in Glasgow. Sinesipho was the only athlete at the Games to break 20 seconds, doing so in both of his races. But, having laid down a marker winning his semi-final so convincingly, what was it like lining up for the final as the favourite? He knew that all of South Africa would be watching and willing him to bring home the gold. When he crossed the line, the first thing he saw was South African fans in the stands and the celebrations began. But his greatest supporter has always been his Mum, so what did she say when he called her later that night?
Sinesipho tells us all about where he grew up and how his village had produced stars before, in rugby union and in track and field. He discusses how it feels to be a part of that legacy and to add to it. He also explains why it’s so important to him to have followed in the footsteps of an all-time great like Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks, who was the last African man to win the Commonwealth 200 metres gold.
The men’s 200 metres at the London 2012 Olympics is a special race as far as Sinesipho is concerned. It’s his favourite performance by Usain Bolt. The Jamaican started out as a 200 metres specialist before adding the 100 to his repertoire and then dominating both sprints, setting the world records which have stood since 2009. That’s the pathway Sinesipho wants to tread as well – so what advice did Bolt share with him when they met in Tokyo during the 2025 World Championships?
We explore the mental side of sprinting and Sinesipho explains how hard he’s worked to maintain and improve his focus. That’s impacted everything from how he trains to how he behaves when he’s out on the Diamond League circuit. How does he make sure he feels at home in those cities and what does he like to do when the season’s over and he really can go home to his family and friends?
This is an era of unprecedented success for South African sprinting. Sinesipho is among those leading the way and describes the environment that’s enabled him and his international team-mates to rise to the top.
Sinesipho believes that fate chooses you and, when it does, accepting the pressure that comes with that is a privilege. He explains why the World and Olympic 200 metres gold medals are the next step, and the planning that’s already gone into topping the podium in Beijing and Los Angeles.
Photo: Gold medalist Sinesipho Dambile of Team South Africa poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for Men’s 200 Metres Final during the Athletics on day eight of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games at Scotstoun Stadium on July 31, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Credit: Getty Images)
