2026 Commonwealth Games
- July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming)
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Tollcross International Swimming Centre
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
Para swimmers made their debut at the Commonwealth Games 24 years ago, and they’ll be back fighting for a spot on the podium next week at the 2026 edition of the Games in Glasgow, Scotland. As the event approaches, we’re taking a look at some of the big names to keep an eye on when the action kicks off next week.
Men’s Para Swimming Schedule
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 |
| 100 freestyle S13
100 butterfly S10 |
200 freestyle S14 | 100 backstroke S9 | 100 breaststroke SB9 | 50 freestyle S13 | 50 freestyle S7 |
Returning Gold Medalists
As always in a year with the Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific Championships, and European Championships, athletes have had to prioritize which championships they will attend. That means the field in Glasgow will be without some major names in the para swimming world including defending medalists like Paralympic champions Nicholas Bennett and Benjamin Hance.
Two Games records got set at the last edition of the Games in Birmingham; Bennet set a new mark in the 200 freestyle S14 (1:54.97) and Timothy Hodge broke the 100 backstroke S9 mark with a 1:01.88. With the para program significantly reduced from a Paralympics or World Para Championships, Hodge was the only two-time medalist in Birmingham as he added a silver in the 100 breaststroke SB8. Since then, the Australian has won his first Paralympic gold at the 2024 Paralympics in the 200 IM SM9 which he then backed up at the 2025 World Para Championships. The men’s schedule does not include an individual medley but look for Hodge to be a threat in both his medal events from four years ago.
New Zealand’s Josh Willmer got the better of Hodge four years ago in the 100 breaststroke SB8, out-touching him 1:14.12 to 1:14.19. That was Willmer’s first major medal on the international para swimming stage. He’ll aim to defend it this year but with no 100 breaststroke SB8 on the schedule, he’ll swim up a classification in the 100 breaststroke SB9.
Australia returns two Birmingham 2022 gold medalists on the men’s side, as 23-year-old Col Pearse is back to defend his 100 butterfly S10 win (56.91). The Aussies went 1-2 in that event in Birmingham, with Alex Saffy claiming silver in 57.53. Pearse took bronze in this event at the 2025 World Para Championships, while Saffy earned the same medal color at the Paris Paralympics.
With Bennett focused on Pan Pacs, Nicolas-Guy Turbide is the Canadian men’s lone returning medalist from Birmingham. Turbide won the 50 freestyle S13, which was one of the most thrilling races of the 2022 Games as he out-touched Scotland’s Stephen Clegg by a hundredth for gold. This year, both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle will run for the S13 classification, potentially giving Turbide a chance at the sprint freestyle double.
The Home Team
Turbide will not be the only one eyeing that sprint freestyle double. Clegg will want to make a big impression in front of a home Scottish crowd. The three-time Paralympian won his first Paralympic gold medals in Paris, winning the 100 butterfly S12 and 100 backstroke S12, setting a world record in the latter.
Clegg’s older brother James Clegg is set to race in the pool as well, and with Libby Clegg competing in para athletics, these Commonwealth Games will be a Clegg family affair. This will be James Clegg’s first major international meet since 2013 and his Commonwealth Games debut. He’s a Paralympic bronze medalist from London 2012, winning bronze in the 100 freestyle S12. He’ll likely swim up a classification from those Paralympics and take on the 100 freestyle in the S13 category at these championships.
Sam Downie and Ollie Carter also return to the Commonwealth Games this year after racing for Team Scotland in Birmingham in 2022.
More Returning Medalists
Barry McClements will be back on the Commonwealth Games stage this year. Four years ago, he won Northern Ireland’s first swimming medal in Commonwealth Games history, picking up bronze in the 100 backstroke S9. He’ll be looking to get back on the podium in that event and will also race the 100 butterfly S10.
Singapore’s Toh Wei Soong completes the trio of returning silver medalists from Birmingham, joining Clegg and Saffy. He’s one of a two-para swimmer contingent for Singapore at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and looks to return to the podium after winning silver in the 50 freestyle S7 four years ago. Now 27, he’s looking to make a third-straight trip to the podium in this event. He took bronze in 2018, then upgraded to silver in 2022. His 2018 bronze medal was the first medal for Singapore in a para sporting event in Commonwealth Games history.
He touched in 29.10, just ahead of South Africa’s Christian Sadie, who will also be at these upcoming championships. Sadie swam 29.78 for bronze in the 50 freestyle S7 four years ago. Sadie is a two-time Paralympian and earned three medals at the 2025 World Para Championships, though none in events that are on the program for the S7 classification. Like Toh, he’s searching for a third consecutive trip to the Commonwealth Games in this race; he earned silver in 2018 then bronze in 2022.
Finally, Jack Ireland rounds out the Birmingham medalists expected in Glasgow. Ireland earned bronze in the 200 freestyle S14 four years ago, which he followed up with a bronze at the 2024 Paralympics. He touched behind William Ellard and Bennett in Paris and will look to upgrade from bronze in Glasgow.
Don’t Forget About..
Team England’s Ellard had not broken onto the international para swimming scene four years ago. But he’s made a name for himself since. Ellard won his first international medal at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. Then, he struck gold in the 200 freestyle S14 with a world record at the Paris Paralympics. Ellard finished his first Paralympics with three medals, adding a relay gold and an individual silver.
Ellard is best known for his freestyle skill, but he’s also won Paralympic, World, and European medals in the 100 butterfly S14; not to mention he’s also earned medals in the 100 backstroke S14 at the World and European Championship level. The 200 freestyle is the only event offered in the S14 classification at these Games, so expect his full focus to be there after he broke the 100 free S14 world record in a time of 50.41 at the Aquatics GB Championships in April..
