Former Spar Proteas captain Bongi Msomi has been announced as Team SA’s Chef de Mission for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which take place at venues across Glasgow, Scotland from Thursday, 23 July to Sunday, 2 August 2026.
The appointment marks a defining step in Msomi’s post-playing career, with the most-capped Proteas netballer in history transitioning from on-court leadership to a high-profile administrative role within the South African delegation. The Hammarsdale-born former captain brings unmatched first-hand Games experience, having represented South Africa at Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022, where she served as Team SA flag bearer alongside para-swimmer Christian Sadie at the opening ceremony.
Msomi retired from international netball in December 2023 with 171 caps to her name, more than any South African before her. Reflecting on stepping away from the game at the time, she said: “I am so grateful that I can make this announcement with a full heart, knowing that I leave the Spar Proteas and South African netball in a very healthy space.”
In the years since, Msomi has remained closely connected to the elite environment, balancing her duties as University of Johannesburg netball manager and coach with her work as a Puma ambassador and assistant coach of the Gauteng Fireballs in the Telkom Netball League.
Speaking at a coaching clinic in Kokstad earlier this year, as reported by Magic 828, she expressed confidence in the wider Glasgow build-up.
“But I say this with pride: the group that we have, the talent we have within the group, we have all it takes to take people on and really put in some good performances,” Msomi said.
Reflecting on the value of high-level preparation, she added: “It’s probably the best thing that can happen because when you play one [top team], you set the standard and from that you can see if you can now take this standard to the next level.”
Team SA will travel to Glasgow with a squad of around 109 athletes competing across a streamlined 10-sport programme, including six fully integrated para sports, hosted at four venues. The Spar Proteas have already qualified, and will open their Pool A netball campaign against Malawi, with Australia, England, Tonga and Northern Ireland also drawn in the group.
South Africa’s most recent Commonwealth Games campaign, in Birmingham in 2022, was carried by a series of standout women’s performances. Teenager Lara van Niekerk became the first South African athlete to win two gold medals at the same Games, claiming the 50m and 100m breaststroke titles, the latter at the expense of teammate Tatjana Smith (then competing as Schoenmaker).
Smith added gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m, with Kaylene Corbett securing 200m bronze for a clean sweep of the women’s breaststroke podiums. Phiwokuhle Mnguni broke new ground as the first South African woman to win a Commonwealth Games boxing medal, while Zenéy van der Walt claimed 400m hurdles bronze.
The SA women’s lawn bowls quartet of Thabelo Muvhango, Bridget Calitz, Esme Kruger and Johanna Snyman added silver in the fours event, and gymnasts Caitlin Rookrantz and Naveen Daries continued to push South African artistic gymnastics forward on the global stage.
South African women have collected 108 Commonwealth Games medals since 1992, an inheritance Msomi now helps shepherd into a new era as Team SA’s chef de mission for Glasgow 2026.
Main Photo Caption: Pictured on the announcement of her winning her 100th cap in national colours, former Spar Proteas captain Bongi Msomi has been announced as Team SA’s Chef de Mission for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to take place at venues across Glasgow, Scotland from Thursday, 23 July to Sunday, 2 August 2026, returning her to the Scottish city where she first represented South Africa at a multi-sport Games in 2014. Photo: File
Graphic 2 Caption: Three-time Commonwealth Games competitor Bongi Msomi steps into Team SA’s Chef de Mission role for the Glasgow 2026 showpiece. Photo: Team South Africa
(+17 rating, 17 votes, rated)
Loading...
