2026 Commonwealth Games
- July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming)
- Glasgow, Scotland
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Matt Ward set a new Scottish record in the 50 back in the Commonwealth Games final last night. He placed 7th in 24.75, dropping two tenths from his previous best, in a four-way battle for 4th that was separated by just 0.07 seconds.
He sliced 0.08 seconds off Scott Gibson’s national standard of 24.83, swum in 2023. Ward’s previous best rested at the 24.94 he swam at the 2025 Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships, which he neared with a 24.95 in the semi-finals on Friday. He now moves up to rank 25th in the world so far this season.
Men’s 50 Back, All-Time Scottish Top 5 Performers
- Matt Ward, 2026 Commonwealth Games – 24.75
- Scott Gibson, 2023 Scottish National Open Championhships – 24.83
- Jamie Ferguson, 2026 Aquatics GB Championships – 25.20
- Jamie Robertson, 2022 British Summer Championships – 25.24
- Jack Ness, 2014 North District SASA Grand Prix – 25.54
This is Ward’s first Commonwealth Games, but he did win three bronze medals at the European Junior Championships in 2023. Two of those were in backstroke, as he clocked 25.16 in the 50 back and 54.61 in the 100 back, with the other coming in the 200 IM.
He also swim at the European U23 Championships last season, missing out on the 50 back semi-finals after posting 25.28 in the heats as the third-fastest swimmer from Great Britain. He won bronze in the 100 back in 54.29, off his 53.52 lifetime best at the time.
Ward now owns the 50 back and 100 back Scottish records in long course, and the 50 back, 100 back, and 200 back records in short course. The only backstroke record remaining is Craig McNally’s 1:55.67 in the long course 200 back, with Ward’s PB resting at 1:58.81.
Ward still has the 100 back left this week, having scratched the 200 back this morning. He will swim backstroke on the men’s medley relay for Scotland, as well as a mixed medley relay that looks like a medal contender for Scotland.
The 50 back has not been the only Scottish record to fall so far this week. The men’s 4×100 free quartet lowered the national standard from 3:15.86 to 3:15.27 in the final on Friday as they placed 4th. Duncan Scott was the only swimmer to feature on both relays, leading off in 48.54 in 2018 and splitting 47.48 on Friday.
