She was also a member of the South African squad at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze medal in the 200 m breaststroke event.

Heyns was again part of the South African Olympic team in Atlanta in 1996, where she won the gold medal for the 100 m breaststroke (also breaking the world record for the event) as well as the gold medal for the 200 m breaststroke (also breaking the Olympic record for the event).

In 1999, Heyns set a spate of eleven world records in three months, swimming at events on three different continents.

This made her the simultaneous holder of five out of the possible six breaststroke world records, a feat that had never been achieved before in the history of swimming.

She has an Olympic size swimming pool named after in the town of Sasolburg, Free State In 2024 Penny Heyns’ double gold win at Atlanta Olympics was judged as one of the top moments in South African women’s sport.