2026 Commonwealth Games
- July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming)
- Glasgow, Scotland
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As we move into the second half of the meet now at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, there have been some surprises in the first few days, and, vice versa, some performances which played out like we anticipated.
As always, these are not definitive and are of course subjective, but here are some highlights.
Surprise – Michael Houlie‘s New 100 Breaststroke Blueprint
Michael Houlie has put the “sprint” in “breaststroker” throughout his career, despite scrabble rules dictating that technically that isn’t how it is spelled. His 50 has been the stronger event for him by some way, and his 100 strength has been due to his early speed rather than strength throughout the entire race.
He still owns a best in the 100 of 59.64 from the 2019 World University Games, but this season the focus was just the 50 rather than both events.
That may have been clear, if you looked very closely, as he blasted a new lifetime best of 26.56 at the halfway point in the heats of the 100 breast on day 1. You may have been a little more confident making the statement after he set an African and Commonwealth Games record of 26.38 in the semi-finals, and probably secure enough to take off the tinfoil hat after a 26.57 in the final.
Those were his three fastest 50 breast times ever. He clocked 26.53 and 26.61 in the 50 breast yesterday, meaning that all of his five fastest swims have come in the last three days.
The tactic of “set a new continental record at halfway” probably won’t catch on. But it has been entertaining.
Not Surprise – Peaty Tightens Up To Miss Gold
Putting this down as a not-surprise seems a little cruel – Peaty is probably the greatest sprint breaststroker in history and will leave behind records which could last a decade or more when he retires. But his last major international gold medal in the 100 breaststroke was five years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, and in his last four major finals – the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the 2024 World Championships, the 2024 Olympic Games, and now the 2026 Commonwealth Games – his former strength has become one of the weaker parts of his race.
Peaty was so good at the 100 because he just did not slow down. The gap widened into a yawning chasm over the final 30 meters, and he never got out-touched because there was no one in the same ZIP code as him. In the twilight of his career, with age and expectation weighing more heavily, he has not managed to drive home in the same way.
In all four of those finals, he has added time from the semi-finals. In all four, he has been hanging on in the final few meters and not managed to hold off the cavalry. He won a medal this time, but Europeans next month may not be so kind.
Not Surprise – Wales Win Their Third-Ever Relay Medal
Read your previews, people.
Surprise – Wales Win Their Fourth-Ever Relay Medal
I jest. Wales have historically been the weakest of the three British nations (Northern Ireland is part of the UK, not Great Britain), and after having to wait 48 years between their first two relay medals in 1970 and 2018, it took just 24 hours between their most recent pair.
Matt Richards was key to both, leading off the mixed 4×100 free in 47.62 and the men’s 4×200 free in 1:45.42. He was second behind Flynn Southam in the former but led the field in the latter, giving a demonstration in how to control a 200 free leadoff.
The success is not down to Richards alone though. Dan Jones was on four different relays which all finished 4th at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and Bex Sutton, whose consistency has been key this week in a variable field, delivered a strong split on the mixed free relay. Theodora Taylor, who we will come to shortly, was lights-out on the mixed free anchor and Kieran Bird and Tyler Melbourne-Smith did exactly what was required on the back half of the men’s 4×200 free.
A shout out to the selectors as well, who unlike their Scottish counterparts got it very, very right on the men’s 4×200 free relay, one which they would have expected to be a tiny bit weaker than Scotland in. Two relay medals, two Welsh records (four counting the women’s 4×100 free and Theodora Taylor‘s 54.14 leadoff on that relay), and a job well done indeed.
Surprise – Theodora Taylor Splits 52.63, #5 Junior Performer
Taylor has been a relay queen for Great Britain at junior level for a couple of years now, but the Commonwealth Games are her first senior meet. She has stepped her performances up accordingly, delivering the 7th-fastest split in British history on the mixed 4×100 free relay.
Her 52.63 anchor on the mixed free relay was, in Commonwealth standards, an Australia-level split. It was a second and a half faster than her Welsh record of 54.14, and proved absolutely crucial for the battle for bronze. She sits behind only Taylor Ruck (51.82), Mollie O’Callaghan (52.03), Olivia Wunsch (52.61), and Claire Curzan (52.62) among juniors, with another year to go before she ages up.
Taylor has been a bit of a jack-of-all-trades in her career so far, winning European Junior medals in the 100 breast and 200 breast last summer, but sprint freestyle may be where she sees her future. After setting a Welsh record of 54.14 on the women’s 4×100 free leadoff and qualifying 4th into the final of the 100 free – earning top non-Australian honors – that future seems incandescent.
Surprise – Top Swimmers Off The Pace?
Through the first three days, all but four finals have been won in a time slower than the season best of the fastest Commonwealth athlete in attendance. Josh Liendo in the men’s 100 fly, Pieter Coetze in the men’s 200 back and men’s 50 back, and Alexandria Perkins in the women’s 50 fly are the swimmers who have dropped time to win.
Both Australia and the British nations had strong national championships earlier this year, but the form doesn’t quite seem to have held. The majority of the top swimmers are juggling two competitions this summer – Commonwealths and Pan Pacs for the Australians, Commonwealths and Europeans for the British swimmers.
Has that had more of an effect than anticipated? Or is the first leg of the double taper not quite working? England have been most off the pace, with Eva Okaro looking flat in the 100 free and Freya Colbert missing the medals in the women’s 200 free, but the top Australians have been winning medals in slower times than they were at the start of last month back home.
Even Cam McEvoy‘s 20.97 in the 50 free final last night was a smidge slower than his 20.88 season best. The times have not necessarily been slow, but they have not been quite as quick as us demanding swim fans may have hoped.
Not Surprise – First-Ever Final For Fiji
Anahira McCutcheon was also in action in the day 3 finals session after setting a new Fijian record of 55.78 in the women’s 100 free heats. That was her first swim under 56 seconds after she clocked 56.05 at the Australian Age Championships in April this year, and she was only just off her new record with a 55.80 for 13th in the semi-finals.
She was not the only Fijian in action. Tolu Young clocked 22.09 in the semi-finals on day 2, off his Fijian record of 21.92, but enough to qualify 6th for the final – Fiji’s first in swimming.
He matched that position in the final, touching in a slightly slower 22.18, but history had already been made. For those who were aware of his exploits in the NCAA with Arizona State, the premier sprinting school in college swimming, this wasn’t a shock – he placed 12th at NCAAs and has been 22.15, 21.92, and 22.06 in the last year.
Surprise – Sajan Prakash‘s Underwaters
Sajan Prakash didn’t swim at all during the first three days, despite India making the men’s 4×200 free final and Prakash being the #2 Indian swimmer in history in the event. His focus for the meet is evidently the 200 fly, the event in which he qualified for the Olympics in 2021.
He dominated 200 IM champ Duncan Scott off the walls in heat 2 of the men’s 200 fly this morning, putting at least a meter on him each time, as Prakash placed 2nd in the heat and 6th overall in 1:58.59. This is his second Commonwealth final in the event after 2018, but the first time he has finished in the top eight – he was 9th four years ago and was pulled in due to a scratch from James Guy.
The big guns will probably turn it on tonight, but it was impressive seeing just how much he took out of a world-class field on the underwaters this morning.
Surprise!
Jenna Forrester, who came 4th in the 200 Backstroke at Australian Trials, can swim that event because of Kaylee McKeown’s withdrawal and goes on to win the 200 Back at these Games.
Excited to see what’s coming up for Theodora Taylor! A great meet for her