Team South Africa celebrated a remarkable day at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympics on Monday, adding two more medals to their tally.

Swimmer Chanel Veldsman won a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke, while the boys' rugby sevens team earned a hard-fought silver medal after a tense final against France.

These two victories brought Team SA's total medal count to three.

CHANEL VELDSMAN STRIKES BRONZE IN THE POOL

Chanel Veldsman put in an impressive performance in the women's 200m breaststroke final, finishing just behind Japan's Mana Ishikawa and China's Mohan Chang.

Proudly wearing her medal after the race, Veldsman shared her joy.

Ï am proud to have won this medal. It is an incredible achievement, and to bring home bronze for my country means the world to me. I am not looking too far ahead, and I will take everything one step at a time from here, but for now, I am going to savour this unforgettable moment."

HEROIC COMEBACK POWERS RUGBY SEVENS TO THE FINAL

Before reaching the final, Team SA showed incredible grit in their semi-final match against Argentina. Falling behind 12-5 at half-time, the South Africans refused to back down.

In the final minute of the match, star flyhalf Rosco Williams scored two dramatic tries to secure a thrilling 24-12 victory.

A breathless Williams spoke about the team's mental strength after the match:

"That first half was really tough, but we knew we had it in us.

I am so proud of the way we came out in the second half, and I am just happy I was able to help my team reach the final.

When asked by an international journalist why South African teams always seem to find a way to win, Williams gave an inspiring response:

"We do not play for ourselves; we play for each other, and we do it for the country. We are the lucky ones that get to wear this jersey, but it does not mean we are fighting for ourselves. It is our responsibility to give our all for everyone back home. South Africans never give up.

HEARTBREAK AND PRIDE IN THE GOLD MEDAL MATCH

The gold medal match presented another steep challenge for the Under-17 rugby squad.

France took early control, building a 21-5 lead by half-time despite a South African try.

South Africa refused to lay down in the second half.

Playing with intensity, they fought back to reduce the gap to just two points. However, time ran out, and France sealed a 28-19 victory with a final try after the buzzer.

Despite the narrow loss, South African coach Sandile Ngcobo praised his team's heart and determination:

"I am really proud of the fight we showed throughout the tournament, and I thought we could have won the final. In a match like that, it comes down to the finest margins and mere moments, and unfortunately those margins did not fall our way. We are still very proud to be leaving here as silver medallists, and it will only fuel our flame to achieve greater things in the future.

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