Meuwsen gets taste of the big stage – and wants more

Whatever they put in the water at TuksJudo club clearly works. First it was Zack Piontek who won 2014 Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow. Then, Michaela Whitebooi won gold at the 2022 Birmingham Games where Charne Griesel also earned bronze. Now, Timothy Meuwsen has added his name to that Tuks honours roll at the 2026 Games in Glasgow.

The 24-year-old, coached by Griesel, won the silver medal in the -81kg division after what he calls a “toe-to-toe” battle with Amir Daniel Bin Abdul Majeed in the final, which went the distance. That final, inside a packed SEC Hall, came after a gruelling semi-final against Odysseas Georgakis of Cyprus. Victory, by Ippon, came after after 6min 40sec of fighting.

A few hours earlier Meuwsen had dispatched Peniamina Percival of Samoa by Ippon after 17 seconds. Such are the swings and roundabouts of a sport that demands the utmost physical and mental conditioning.

I can’t think of another sport that can potentially finish quicker. A fight can be over by Ippon inside three seconds, which could be the case with boxing, hypothetically. As Meuwsen agreed, “Outside of Team SA competitions, a judoka from South Africa could spend R45 000 on an overseas trip to an event and be on the flight home after three seconds of fighting”.

But that’s a debate for another day and when the Rustenburg-born gladiator returns home with Team SA he will be carrying his career-changing silver medal. It was one of two medals won by judo, with Donne Breytenbach securing a bronze in the -57kg category on Friday.

Standing on the pedestrian path overlooking the River Clyde on Sunday morning, Meuwsen reflected on events of the day before.

“Being on that stage was amazing. Bright lights, so many people, everything I could have dreamt of. The ultimate goal is the Olympics. If this is the Commonwealth I can’t even begin to imagine how the Olympics will be. Daunting? Very much so. I knew from when the draw came out that it would be tough opponents on the day.

“In the final I just knew that the Malaysian would be an awesome fight. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better final in my first Commonwealth Games. In the moments before the fight I went to the warm-up area. I put on my earphones and my praise and worship music and started walking around the mats visualising how it would be, how we would go at it. He would throw me and then I’d throw him and then we’d have to go toe-to-toe and then scuffle it a bit on the ground and that’s how it played out.

“When I walked out onto the main mat they said, ‘Timothy Meeuwsen, African champion’ and the lights are all dark and then it would all light up when getting on to the mat. Amazing. From the first gripping exchange I knew that was the war that I’d expected and the one that the Lord had go me ready for. I thank Him every day for for what He has done in my life, up to this point.

“Defeat is good for character development in that I had to show sportsmanship after falling short of what was in my head after winning my earlier fights. It was very emotional … I couldn’t speak, I didn’t have, my lungs were burning. I had to be strong, I had to show the opponent love, because I knew that he’d worked just as hard as I did. Kudos to him.”

Also out on the banks of the River Clyde was Team SA’s other judo medallist, Breytenbach

“I’m ecstatic, not just for me but for Team SA and for judo in South Africa. It makes me feel overjoyed. I’m hopeful that this medal brings more recognition to women’s sports and women’s judo, and gives motivation for younger athletes to qualify for a platform as big as the Commonwealth Games. My long-term goal is the LA 2028 Olympics.”

The 57kg dynamo had a bittersweet overall Games. Her twin brother, all 90kg of him, Thomas, was beaten in 68sec by Scotland’s Scott Cusack, who went on to win bronze.

“I’m sure it doesn’t happen often that twins compete in the same team. Him being in Glasgow with Team SA brings me emotional support support and we discuss tactics and our fights. He brings me back to centre, is a calming influence,” Breytenbach said.

“My heart broke a bit for him … he had a tough first fight. You never know in judo how things will work out at this level, it can be 50-50. So, while I have bragging rights, I’m not going to brag.”