With the 2026 Commonwealth Games set to begin in Glasgow, athletes across ten sports are preparing for competition in Scotland’s largest city. The event is set to welcome more than 3,000 athletes, all of whom have the ambition of leaving with a slab of metal resting on their chest. With 215 gold medals available, the competition serves as a critical stage for both established legends looking to cement their records and young competitors aiming for their first major international breakthroughs.
Rhys McClenaghan and the Return of ‘Rhys 2.0’
Northern Ireland’s gymnastics standout Rhys McClenaghan arrives in Glasgow aiming to showcase a significant evolution in his technique. Following a shoulder injury that forced him to the sidelines last year, the Olympic, World, and Commonwealth champion is debuting a new routine shaped by recent rule changes. The Commonwealth Games is a good chance to show your work in progress. At the Olympic Games, you want to see your finished product,
he said. McClenaghan, who secured Ireland’s first Olympic gymnastics gold in Paris two years ago, acknowledges the transition. “It’s going to be a work in progress, but hopefully one that is the best in the world too. Part of me is striving be like a younger Rhys, but the reality is I’m doing a completely new routine and the rule changes have pushed me into that direction – that’s the Rhys 2.0 there,he added. Despite being only 26, he remains one of Team NI's
wise heads,” having won gold eight years ago—pipping England’s Max Whitlock, who has had to withdraw from these Games with injury—before collecting silver in Birmingham four years ago. The men’s pommel horse final takes place at The Arena on Monday, 27 July.
Josh Kerr’s Home Games Ambition
For Scottish athlete Josh Kerr, the Glasgow Games represent a chance to secure a major title on home soil. The 28-year-old recently set a new world record in the mile, clocking three minutes 42.66 seconds at London’s Diamond League. Having targeted the record, which had stood for 27 years, for months, Kerr now shifts his focus to the Commonwealth Mile at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday, 1 August. Kerr has established a reputation for a bullish, high-confidence approach. He told BBC Scotland earlier this year that gold in Scotland is what I grew up thinking about.
Kadeena Cox and Chad le Clos: Chasing Historical Milestones
Two veteran competitors are looking to add to their storied careers. Kadeena Cox, the 35-year-old para-cyclist, returns to the Commonwealth stage after missing the previous two Games due to injury. Competing in the C4-5 event at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome on Thursday, 30 July, Cox aims to replicate the form that saw her win gold in both athletics and cycling at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. Meanwhile, South African swimmer Chad le Clos is within reach of becoming the most decorated male athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games. Le Clos currently holds 18 medals—seven gold, four silver, and seven bronze. During the 2014 Glasgow Games, he equaled Ian Thorpe’s record of seven medals in one Games. At 34, he plans to compete in the 100m butterfly on Sunday, 26 July, and the 50m butterfly on Wednesday, 29 July, at the Tollcross Swimming Centre.
Rising Prospect Seine Stowers
The weightlifting competition will feature emerging talent Seine Stowers, a junior Commonwealth Games champion representing Samoa. Stowers, who recently celebrated her 18th birthday, gained international attention after winning four gold medals and breaking 12 records at the Universal Weightlifting Championship earlier this year. Competing in the women’s 77kg category, she lifted 142kg in the clean and jerk category during her championship performance. She follows in the footsteps of her sister, Feagaiga, a gold medal winner in the Gold Coast and a silver medallist in Birmingham four years ago.
