After 11 days, ten sports (including six integrated Para sports) and 215 medals awarded, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games came to a close at the Hydro arena.
Originally planned to be hosted in Victoria, Australia, when financial concerns arose and Victoria withdrew, Glasgow stepped up with just 18 months preparation – a sharp contrast to a host cities usual seven years preparation.
Despite the uncertainty, Glasgow adopted a scaled back approach, using only pre-existing buildings, swapping an athlete’s village for hotels and trimming the number of sports from 19 (in 2022) to 11.
Overall, Glasgow excelled and delivered an event full of unforgettable highlights and firsts, as we take a look back below.
Jenna Forrester has a standout tournament.
Swimming fans, this is a name you’re going to have to get used to seeing.
Jenna Forrester has been climbing up the ranks in world swimming; she’s previously competed in three World Championships, the Paris 2024 Olympics and now two Commonwealth Games.
The 23-year-old usually competes in the 400m individual medley and freestyle programmes winning both gold and bronze in Glasgow, so imagine the surprise after she won two golds in two events she wasn’t even supposed to be competing in – in the space of 45 minutes.
Fellow Australian, Kaylee McKeown, was originally listed to compete in the 200m backstroke but due to glandular fever had to withdraw with Forrester stepping in and subsequently winning gold – her first-ever international backstroke medal – in a time of 2:08.17, despite being in fourth position at the final turn.
Less than an hour before the 200m backstroke, Forrester placed third in the 400m freestyle, leaving limited time to prepare for her shock race, making her victory even more impressive.
Forrester ended the tournament with another gold in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:09.24, finishing her second Commonwealth Games with three golds and a bronze medal, putting herself on an exclusive list of female swimmers to win three individual golds at a single Commonwealth Games.
Australia’s success in swimming
Along with Forrester’s personal successes, Australian swimming as an entity were basking in glory, winning an impressive 76 medals in the swimming alone; 37 gold, 16 silver, and 23 bronze medals, making it the most successful Commonwealth Games for the Dolphins to date.
Heading into the tournament, the Australian swim team were missing some key swimmers, McKeown due to illness, Ariarne Titmus who retired last year and an injured Mollie O’Callaghan.
But these absences did not stop the Dolphins making history with Forrester, Lani Pallister and Sam Short all winning medals in individual and relay events.
Short and Pallister dominated the freestyle and middle-distance disciplines, with Pallister also claiming the first-ever women’s 1500m freestyle title.
At only 24-years-old, Pallister continues to progress immensely through the sport – including becoming Olympic champion at Paris 2024 – despite facing numerous health challenges, including an eating disorder and heart surgery, to cement her place in the world of swimming.
Pallister stood in first place for the 400m freestyle, as the only swimmer to finish under four minutes, alongside fellow dolphin Forrester occupying third on the podium, who then had to go and prepare for her shock backstroke final.
With just two years until the Olympics, in the world of swimming so much can still change, but Glasgow was a huge evolution for the Australian Dolphins, who will be hoping to better their result in Los Angeles 2026.
Ruby Evans gold for Wales
It was quite the tournament for 19-years-old gymnast Ruby Evans, who won the first gold for Wales in the tournament.
Evans struggled during the individual all-around competition finishing sixth overall, with the youngest making one too many mistakes, ultimately costing her a place on the podium.
Having competed at Paris 2024 – where she became the first female artistic gymnast since 1996 to represent Team GB – Evans’s determination to do one better in a team event, unfortunately fell short with England denying Wales a medal, leaving them in fourth position.
An unfortune beam mishap saw her faltering at the star and falling off halfway through her routine, alongside a few mishaps during her floor routine, which is normally perfect by standards.
The hopes then fell to the final day of the gymnastics competition with Evans competing in the artistic gymnastics floor final, where she achieved a perfect score and secured the Commonwealth gold.
Evans couldn’t hold back her emotions as she took to the podium and heard the Welsh national anthem play for the first time in artistic gymnastics.
After struggling at the beginning of the week, it was surely a moment and ending she will never forget, and one that will go down in Welsh history.
Georgia Hunter-Bell wins 800m gold
Georgia Hunter- Bell may seem to be a late developer within the world of athletics, but even at the age of 32 she has no plans of slowing down.
England’s Hunter-Bell managed to outpace world champion, Lilian Odira from Kenya, in the 800m to win Commonwealth gold, with a time of 1:59.51, at her Commonwealth Games debut, which is just another chapter in her remarkable story.
Following a series of unfortunate repetitive injuries Hunter Bell retired in her mid 20’s, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, her passion for running was reignited and she knew her story wasn’t quite finished.
Whilst still employed in the world of cyber security, she secured a place for the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she took home an Olympic bronze medal (and new British record) in the 1500m.
Since then, Hunter Bell continues to dominate the track having earlier this year secured the World Indoor 1500m title and now adds her first senior outdoor gold to the roaster.
Kate O’Connor winning Northern Ireland’s first gold
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Kate O’Connor made history by winning Northern Ireland’s first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the heptathlon, scoring a total of 6,569 points – just 291 points ahead of her closet arrival.
The world indoor and outdoor silver medallist i also the first new Commonwealth heptathlon champion in eight years and Northern Ireland’s first athletics gold since 1986.
This is the 25-year-old’s first senior outdoor gold and her first gold at the Commonwealth Games; previously finishing eighth in Gold Coast, Australia 2018 and claimed a silver medal in Birmingham 2022.
England’s Jade O’Dowda won silver with 6278 points, and Australia’s Tori West took home bronze with 6104 points.
From reduced sporting events to records breaking and history being made; Glasgow 2026 will certainly be remembered.
The next Commonwealth Games takes place in Ahmedabad, India in 2030, which will also celebrate the 100th anniversary.
