2026 Commonwealth Games
- July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming)
- Glasgow, Scotland
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Well, day 1 at the 2026 Commonwealth Games certainly did not disappoint. We saw six new Games records on the first day of competition, and while we may not quite keep that rate up through the meet there are several stars in the water this morning.
Lani Pallister and Erika Fairweather will lock horns again the 200 free, having placed 1st and 2nd in the 400 free last night. Mollie O’Callaghan is the top seed in 1:52.86, and will be swimming her first individual event of the meet after anchoring Australia’s title-winning women’s 4×100 free relay in 52.81 last night. British record holder Freya Colbert is also one to watch out for as the #3 seed in 1:54.34.
Cam McEvoy is the headline act in the men’s 50 free after his world record at the China Open in March, and fellow Australians Jamie Jack and Flynn Southam will also look to progress to tonight’s semi-finals. Southam set a huge lifetime best on the 100 free last night, so we could be in for something fast from him this morning.
Josh Liendo is next to McEvoy in the final heat, entered nearly a second slower than his lifetime best of 21.48 in a 22.29. He was 48.13 leading off Canada’s 4×100 free relay last night, half a second off his best 47.55 which he swam in both 2022 and 2024.
Chad le Clos goes in the 100 fly after winning his 19th Commonwealth medal last night, which moves him out of a tie to become the most decorated Commonwealth male athlete in history. He is one behind Emma McKeon for the overall title.
Matt Temple is the top seed in that event, with his fellow Aussie Ben Armbruster also seeded under 51 seconds. Liendo again swims next to a top-seeded Australian, entered 4th in 51.17, and will be in the final heat.
Scottish and British record holder Angharad Evans should get a huge reception in the final heat of the women’s 100 breast, seeded over a second ahead of Australian youngster Sienna Toohey. None of the 2022 medalists return in that event, so there are opportunities for the pair to win their first Commonwealth medals as long as they progress safely this morning.
The men’s 400 free sees Sam Short take to the pool for what he will hope is the first of four events with a medal. He leads the psych sheets by over three seconds ahead of 2022 champions Elijah Winnington and 2014 and 2018 bronze medalist James Guy.
Dan Wiffen is also swimming his first event of the meet, and will allow us to gauge the kind of form he is in. His in-season times this season are the slowest they have been since before his breakout in 2023, but at his best he is a podium threat in this event.
Both the men’s and women’s S14 200 free will feature the world record holder, as Will Ellard and Bethany Firth are in action. Ellard set his world record last summer and is the top seed in 1:52.65 for the men, while Firth is the 4th seed in 2:08.60.
We wrap things up this morning with the mixed 4×100 free relay. Australia won both the men’s and women’s relays last night and should be favorites to progress, while Wales will be hoping for redemption after their men’s relay was disqualified in the heats yesterday.
Women’s 200 Freestyle – Prelims
- World Record: 1:52.23 – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2024
- Commonwealth Record: 1:52.23 – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2024
- Commonwealth Games Record: 1:53.89– Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2022
- 2022 Champion – Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 1:53.89
Top 8:
Men’s 50 Freestyle – Prelims
- World Record: 20.88 – Cameron McEvoy (AUS), 2026
- Commonwealth Record: 20.88 – Cameron McEvoy (AUS), 2026
- Commonwealth Games Record: 21.30 – Ben Proud (ENG), 2018
- 2022 Champion – Ben Proud (ENG) – 21.36
Top 8:
Women’s 100 Backstroke– Prelims
- World Record: 57.13 – Regan Smith (USA), 2024
- Commonwealth Record: 57.16 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2025
- Commonwealth Games Record: 58.60 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2022
- 2022 Champion – Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 58.60
Top 8:
Men’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims
- World Record: 49.45 – Caeleb Dressel (USA), 2021
- Commonwealth Record: 49.99 – Josh Liendo (CAN), 2024
- Commonwealth Games Record: 50.65 – Chad le Clos (RSA), 2018
- 2022 Champion – Josh Liendo (CAN) – 51.24
Top 8:
Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims
- World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King (USA), 2017
- Commonwealth Record: 1:04.82 – Tatjana Smith (RSA), 2021
- Commonwealth Games Record: 1:05.09 – Leisel Jones (AUS), 2006
- 2022 Champion – Lara van Niekerk (RSA) – 1:05.47
Top 8:
Men’s 400 Freestyle – Prelims
- World Record: 3:39.96 – Lukas Maertens (GER), 2025
- Commonwealth Record: 3:40.08 – Ian Thorpe (AUS), 2002
- Commonwealth Games Record: 3:40.08 – Ian Thorpe (AUS), 2002
- 2022 Champion – Elijah Winnington (AUS) – 3:43.06
Top 8:
WOMEN’S S14 200 Freestyle – Prelims
- World Record: 2:02.09 – Bethany Firth (NIR), 2016
- Commonwealth Games Record – 2:07.02, Bethany Firth (NIR), 2022
- 2022 Champion – Bethany Firth (NIR), 2:07.02
Top 8:
MEN’S S14 200 Freestyle – Prelims
- World Record: 1:51.30 – Will Ellard (GBR), 2024
- Commonwealth Games Record – 1:54.97, Nicholas Bennett (CAN), 2022
- 2022 Champion – Nicholas Bennett (CAN), 1:54.97
Top 8:
Mixed 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – Prelims
- World Record: 3:18.48 – USA (Alexy, Sammon, Douglass, Huske), 2025
- Commonwealth Record: 3:18.83 – Australia (Cartwright, Chalmers, Jack, O’Callaghan), 2023
- Commonwealth Games Record: 3:21.18 – Australia (Yang, Chalmers, O’Callaghan, McKeon), 2022
- 2022 Champion: Australia (Yang, Chalmers, O’Callaghan, McKeon) – 3:21.18
Canada and South Africa both DNS the relay
Lani, Me, Cam, Sam, Temple, Toohey…….what a day to be alive 😍
Is there any info on who’ll be on the relays?
My guess for Australia would be:
Heat: Sommerville, Petric?, Casey, Castelluzo?
Final: Kyle, Flynn, Shayna, Meg?
(rest MOC? I would also rest Harry and Kai as they still have heaps of events coming up + 4x200m relay)
Heat (as published): Taylor, Turner, Casey, Perkins
Final (likely): Chalmers, Southam, MOC, Jack/Harris (I think it will likely be Jack)
thank you!!
I guess the coaches don’t want to leave anything to chance after last year’s bungle? Surely that heats lineup still feels like overkill, though.
Harrison has a fly double this session, + 200FR/200FL/200 relay still coming up, Kai has his individual 100+200 FR + relay too.
I guess Mollie feels healthy enough to add this event, because Shayna and Meg would be more than enough for this final. I personally wouldn’t put her in with the 200 FR final today.