Sunday, 8th March, is International Women’s Day and South Africa’s sports fans have had plenty to celebrate from their female sports stars over the years. Here at Team SA, we take a look at those female athletes who have won medals at the major multi-code sports events since 1992 – the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Commonwealth Games.
There have been 10 different women to win Olympic medals and 18 Paralympic medallists. In the Commonwealth Games the list of women extends to 71.
In total, women have won 17 Olympic medals since 1992, 52 Paralympic medals and 108 Commonwealth Games medals.
Take a trip through the South African women’s roll of medallists.
OLYMPICS
4 Tatjana Smith, swimming: 2 Gold (2020, 2024), 2 Silver (2020, 2024)
3 Penny Heyns, swimming: 2 Gold (1996), 1 Bronze (2000)
2 Caster Semenya, athletics: 2 Gold (2012, 2016)
2 Hestrie Cloete, athletics: 2 Silver (2000, 2004)
1 Bianca Buitendag, surfing: 1 Silver (2020)
1 Jo-Ane du Plessis, athletics: 1 Silver (2024)
1 Elana Meyer, athletics: 1 Silver (1992)
1 Sunette Viljoen, athletics: 1 Silver (2016)
1 Bridgitte Hartley, canoeing: 1 Bronze (2012)
1 Marianne Kriel, swimming: 1 Bronze (1996)
PARALYMPICS
15 Natalie du Toit, para-swimming: 13 Gold (2004, 2008, 2012), 2 Silver (2004, 2012)
6 Ilse Hayes, para-athletics: 2 Gold (2008, 2012), 3 Silver (2008, 2012, 2016), 1 Bronze (2004)
4 Philippa Johnson, equestrian: 2 Gold (2008), 2 Silver (2004)
4 Zanele Situ, para-athletics: 2 Gold (2000, 2004), 1 Silver (2000), 1 Bronze (2016)
4 Anrune Weyers, para-athetics: 1 Gold (2020), 2 Silver (2012, 2016), 1 Bronze (2012)
3 Christelle Bosker, para-athletics: 2 Gold (2000), 1 Bronze (2000)
3 Louzanne Coetzee, para-athletics: 1 Silver (2020), 2 Bronze (2020, 2024)
2 Shireen Sapiro, para-swimming: 1 Gold (2008), 1 Bronze (2012)
2 Tanya Swanepoel, para-athletics: 1 Silver (2000), 1 Bronze (2000)
1 Deidre Buller, para-bowls: 1 Gold (1996)
1 Simone Kruger, para-athletics: 1 Gold (2024)
1 Moekie Grobbelaar, powerlifting: 1 Bronze (2000)
1 Margaret Harriman, para-bowls: 1 Bronze (1996)
1 Sheryl James, para-athletics: 1 Bronze (2020)
1 Jane Mandean, para-athletics: 1 Bronze (2000)
1 Beverly Mashinini, para-athletics: 1 Bronze (2004)
1 Elizabeth Prinsloo, para-swimming: 1 Bronze (1996)
1 Rosebella Riese, shooting: 1 Bronze (1996)
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
7 Natalie du Toit, para-swimming: 7 Gold (2002, 2006, 2010)
4 Tatjana Smith, swimming: 3 Gold (2018, 2022), 1 Silver (2022)
4 Sunette Viljoen, athletics: 2 Gold (2006, 2010), 1 Silver (2014), 1 Bronze (2018)
3 Tracy-Lee Botha, bowls: 3 Gold (2010, 2014)
3 Susan Nel, bowls: 2 Gold (2010, 2014), 1 Bronze (2014)
3 Santjie Steyn, bowls: 2 Gold (2010, 2014), 1 Bronze (2014)
3 Esmari van Reenen, shooting: 3 Silver (2002, 2006, 2014)
3 Colleen Piketh, bowls: 12 Silver (2014, 2018), 1 Bronze (2018)
3 Sarah Poewe, swimming: 2 Silver (2002), 1 Bronze (2002)
2 Hester Bekker, bowls: 2 Gold (1994, 1998)
2 Hestrie Cloete, athletics: 2 Gold (1998, 2002)
2 Caster Semenya, athletics (2 Gold (2018)
2 Lorna Trigwell, bowls: 2 Gold (1994, 1998)
2 Lara van Niekerk, swimming: 2 Gold (2022)
2 Esme Steyn, bowls: 1 Gold (2014), 1 Bronze (2014)
2 Esme Kruger, bowls: 2 Silver (2018, 2022)
2 Mandy Loots, swimming: 2 Silver (2002)
2 Helene Muller, swimming: 2 Silver (2002)
2 Nicola Neal, bowls: 2 Silver (2018)
2 Johanna Snyman, bowls: 2 Silver (2018, 2022)
2 Geraldine Pillay, athletics: 1 Silver (2006), 1 Bronze (2006)
2 Natalie Grainger, squash: 2 Bronze (1998)
1 Colleen Grondhein, bowls: 1 Gold (1994)
1 Lesley Hartwell, bowls: 1 Gold (1998)
1 Elizna Naude, athletics: 1 Gold (2006)
1 Gwen Nel, bowls: 1 Gold (2014)
1 Anna Pretorius, bowls: 1 Gold (1994)
1 Anika Smith, athletics: 1 Gold (2006)
1 Trish Steyn, bowls: 1 Gold (1998)
1 Dianne Swanton, shooting: 1 Gold (2006)
1 Annajie van Rooyen, bowls: 1 Gold (2014)
1 Loraine Victor, bowls: 1 Gold (1998)
1 Michaela Whitebooi, judo: 1 Gold (2022)
1 Bridget Calitz, bowls: 1 Silver (2022)
1 Elma Davis, bowls: 1 Silver (2018)
1 Lynn Dwyer, bowls: 1 Silver (1994)
1 Erin Gallagher, swimming: 1 Silver (2022)
1 Elmarie Gerryts, athletics: 1 Silver (1998)
1 Val Martin, shooting: 1 Silver (1998)
1 Elana Meyer, athletics: 1 Silver (1994)
1 Alett Moll, wheelchair table tennis: 1 Silver (2002)
1 Jo Peacock, bowls: 1 Silver (1994)
1 Donna Potgieter, shooting: 1 Silver (1998)
1 Kate Roberts, triathlon: 1 Silver (2014)
1 Gill Sanders, triathlon: 1 Silver (2014)
1 Charmaine Weavers, athletics: 1 Silver (1994)
1 Charlene Wittstock, swimming: 1 Silver (2002)
1 Johanna Abrahamse, athletics: 1 Bronze (2002)
1 Veronica Abrahamse, athletics: 1 Bronze (1998)
1 Kaylene Corbett, swimming: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Lizette Etsebeth, athletics: 1 Bronze (1994)
1 Penny Heyns, swimming: 1 Bronze (1994)
1 Charne Griessel, judo: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Gwen Griffiths, athletics: 1 Bronze (1994)
1 Jennifer Kwela, gymnastics: 1 Bronze (2010)
1 Candice Lill, cycling: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Desiree Levin, bowls: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Ashleigh-Moolman-Pasio, cycling: 1 Bronze (2014)
1 Babalwa Ndebeni, weightlifting: 1 Bronze (2006)
1 Wenda Nel, athletics: 1 Bronze (2018)
1 Claire Nitch, squash: 1 Bronze (1998)
1 Mona Pretorius, weightlifting: 1 Bronze (2018)
1 Justine Robbeson, athletics: 1 Bronze (2010)
1 Lisa-Marie Retief, swimming: 1 Bronze (2006)
1 Caitlyn Rooskrantz, gymnastics: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Nozipho Shroeder, para-bowls: 1 Bronze (2018)
1 Lorna Trigwell, bowls: 1 Bronze (2006)
1 Wendy Trott, swimming: 1 Bronze (2010)
1 Suzaan van Biljon, swimming: 1 Bronze (2006)
1 Victoria van der Merwe, bowls: 1 Bronze (2022)
1 Zeney van der Walt, athletics: 1 Bronze (2022)
Photo: Natalie du Toit at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics/Getty Images
