Team SA top African Youth Games medal table in Angola

The 88-member Team SA squad, drawn from 12 sporting codes, claimed a total of 99 medals — 45 gold, 38 silver and 16 bronze — marking the country’s first time at the top of the standings in three years.

Their haul surpassed the 93 medals won in 2014, when South Africa finished second in Algeria, while they placed sixth at the 2018 Games in Gaborone.

Seven of the 12 sporting codes contributed medals, with swimming, athletics, karate, weightlifting, badminton, cycling and tennis all reaching the podium during what proved to be a historic championship campaign.

Algeria finished second on the table with 83 medals, followed by Egypt in third with 76.

Tunisia and Cameroon rounded off the top five with 80 and 24 medals respectively, while Ghana claimed the final spot in the top ten with 13 medals.

SASCOC High Performance Manager and Team South Africa’s Chef de Mission in Luanda, Leon Fleisher, told SABC Sport that he could not be prouder of the team, describing the performances as a clear sign that the future of South African sport is bright.

The results exceeded Fleisher’s expectations, especially given that countries such as Algeria and Egypt arrived with bigger squads.

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“I am so proud of the youngsters, and I cannot wait for future tournaments. The future is very bright,” said Fleisher. 

“We only brought 88 athletes, while other countries brought more than 200. I honestly did not expect us to top the medal table.”

The veteran sports administrator, who has served as Chef de Mission and deputy Chef de Mission at numerous Olympic and Paralympic Games, said the Luanda experience gave him confidence that South Africa can grow into a dominant force at major global events, including the 2032 Olympic Games and beyond, if the young talent is properly nurtured.

Swimming led the medal charge with 61 medals, followed by athletics with 19. Karate and weightlifting each contributed six medals, cycling added three, while badminton and tennis secured two medals apiece.

“I would like to thank the parents, my staff and the athletes for an amazing Games experience,” Fleisher added. “

“Well done to swimming and athletics in particular. We achieved a lot with a small team.”

Fleisher also reserved special praise for 2012 Olympic gold medallist Lawrence Ndlovu, who served as deputy Chef de Mission in Luanda, crediting his presence with inspiring the young athletes.