Swimming Finals See Records and Gold Medals
The 2026 Commonwealth Games continued with an exciting lineup of semi-finals and finals at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow, Scotland. Australia maintained its strong presence on the medal table, with several key athletes competing in various events.
In the women’s S9 100 backstroke final, England’s Alice Tai secured her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the event. Tai finished with a time of 1:11.93, going out over half a second faster than the field in the first 50 metres. Australia’s Gemma Sellick earned silver with 1:14.06, and Victoria Belando Nicholson, also from Australia, took bronze with 1:15.11. Tai mentioned in a post-race interview that she had been managing an injury flare-up, which had limited her training time, and had only arrived in Glasgow the night before the competition.
The men’s S9 100 backstroke final saw Australia’s Timothy Hodge dominate the race, securing another gold medal for his country with a time of 1:03.00. Hodge established a significant lead in the first 50 metres, turning at 30.20 seconds. Barry McClements of Northern Ireland attempted to close the gap in the second half, splitting 32.75, but ultimately earned silver with 1:03.68. Australia’s Harrison Vig claimed the bronze medal with 1:04.87.
Scotland’s national record holder and Olympian Angharad Evans delivered a gold medal performance in the women’s 100m breaststroke final, finishing in 1:06.07. South Africa’s Aimee Canny secured the silver medal with 1:06.19, while 17-year-old Australian Sienna Toohey earned bronze with 1:06.47. Evans’ season-best time of 1:04.96, achieved at the Aquatics GB Championships in April, ranks her as a top performer globally.
In the men’s 100m butterfly final, Canadian Olympic medalist and national record holder Josh Liendo claimed the gold medal, setting a new Commonwealth Games Record with a time of 50.42. He edged out Australia’s Matt Temple, who finished just 0.01 seconds behind to take silver with 50.43. Temple, a 27-year-old Olympian, had set a new Commonwealth Games Record earlier in the day with 50.63. Australia’s Ben Armbruster secured the bronze medal with 50.58.
The women’s 100m freestyle semi-finals featured strong performances, with a trio of athletes finishing under the 54-second mark. Olympic medalist Mollie O’Callaghan of Australia led the field with 53.29, followed by Olympic medalist Meg Harris, also from Australia, with 53.39. Australia’s Shayna Jack placed third with 53.67. These three athletes were part of Australia’s gold medal-winning 4x100m freestyle relay on the first day of the Games. O’Callaghan, a 22-year-old Olympic champion, has been managing a stress fracture in her back but continues to compete. Jack has indicated her intention to retire after this competition. Theodora Taylor of Wales also had a notable performance, setting a Welsh record of 54.14 in a relay and finishing the semi-final in 54.28.
The men’s 50m breaststroke semi-finals saw three competitors break the 27-second barrier. Michael Houlie of South Africa led the qualifiers with 26.61. Australia’s Sam Williamson followed with 26.79, and Adam Ramsay-Peaty of Great Britain qualified with 26.82. Other qualifiers included Chris Smith (South Africa), Ronan Wantenaar (Namibia), Filip Nowacki (Jersey), Archie Goodburn (Scotland), and Oliver Dawson (Canada).
Gymnastics Team Podium Decided
In women’s artistic gymnastics, Australia secured the team gold medal for the first time since 2010. The Australian team, comprising Georgia Godwin, Ruby Pass, Breanna Scott, Emily Whitehead, and Kate McDonald, achieved a total score of 158.400, narrowly defeating Canada by just over a point. The team showcased strong rotations on bars and beam, followed by solid performances on floor and vault.
Veteran Georgia Godwin, competing in her fourth Commonwealth Games, earned an all-around score of 52.100. Breanna Scott ranked third in the all-around qualifications with 52.350, with her beam performance highlighted as a standout. Kate McDonald excelled on bars, leading the field in that event. Ruby Pass contributed scores on vault and bars, while Emily Whitehead performed a strong Yurchenko 1½ on vault.
Canada, despite facing challenges on their initial apparatuses, finished with a team score of 157.300 to claim the silver medal. Ellie Black led the all-around qualifications with a score of 53.400. Lia Monica Fontaine, who had a fall on bars, recovered with a strong floor routine and a Yurchenko double full. Lia Redick also contributed significantly to the team’s performance, particularly on floor. Alyssa Guerrier Calixte showcased a notable beam set.
England, the reigning champions, fielded a less experienced team but still secured the bronze medal with a score of 154.300. Led by 2024 Olympian Abigail Martin, who finished seventh in the all-around, the team also saw strong performances from Shantae-Eve Amankwaah in her senior team debut, and Alia Leat. Shanna-Kae Grant, who joined as an alternate, played a role in securing a podium spot during the floor rotation. Wales finished fourth with 153.400, followed by South Africa (142.750), Scotland (140.850), Singapore (140.100), and Malta (130.750).
Individual all-around qualification rankings saw Ellie Black (Canada) in first, followed by Ruby Evans (Wales) and Breanna Scott (Australia). Notable individual qualifiers included Amanda Yap of Singapore, who reached the top 10 in the all-around and qualified for both beam and floor finals. Three Malaysian athletes, Rachel Yeoh Li Wen, Cadence Teh Zi Qi, and Yeap Kang Xian, also earned individual final spots. The men’s artistic gymnastics all-around final is scheduled for 12 pm in Glasgow, followed by the women’s all-around final at 6 pm in Glasgow.
Source: swimswam.com
