By Mark Wild on SwimSwam
2026 Commonwealth Games
July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming) Glasgow, Scotland Tollcross International Swimming Centre LCM (50m) Meet Central Entries Preview Index How to Watch Live ResultsWelcome, SwimFans, to the first day of swimming at the 2026 Commonwealth Games!!!! It’s been a long journey to this point as these Games were originally set to be held, down under, in Australia, but citing rising costs, the state of Victoria pulled out of its hosting duties. Thankfully, Scotland’s most populous city was able to step in and take over hosting duties. This edition of the Games, the 23rd, is different from past editions as, in addition to being pared down to combat rising costs, they are the first to be held during the reign of King Charles III, as his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, had been monarch of the Commonwealth realm since 1952. Swimming, one of the 10 sports being contested, has not been scaled down and is set to start with some fireworks as some of the most anticipated events kick things off.
If anyone was curious, I lived south of Glasgow in the East Ayrshire village of Stair when I was six, attending Coylton Primary School for P2 and P3. I currently reside outside of Boston, which recently hosted the Tartan Army for several days, as the Scottish National football team competed. I can assure you, however, any bias towards Scotland and its athletes should be viewed entirely as incidental. Now with that out of the way, let’s Boogie.
The women’s 400 free and men’s 200 IM start the action off with a bang as some of the biggest names in the swimming world look to start their meet off on the right foot. The 400 free looks to be a grudge match between the antipodean nations of Australia and New Zealand. Top seed Lani Pallister of Australia is the top seed with an entry time of 3:58.87 and will have her training partner and compatriot Jenna Forrester with her in the last heat as they square off against New Zealand’s Eve Thomas. One heat prior, 2024 World Champion Erika Fairweather of New Zealand will hope that she and her fellow Kiwi Caitlin Deans can fend off the Aussie Amelia Weber.
With just three heats, the men’s 200 IM jumps into the action quickly with the 3rd seed Lewis Clareburt looking to add to the hopefully strong start his fellow Kiwis established in the heat prior. The young and talented Canadian Lorne Wigginton will flank Clareburt on one side, with England’s Tom Dean on the other. Dean, one of England’s most decorated Commonwealth medalists, having won seven medals four years ago, is coming off a shoulder injury, so all eyes will be looking to see what form he is in. However, his heat and the second heat will certainly lack the enthusiasm of the final heat, as all three of Scotland’s entries occupy the middle lanes. Surrounded by Evan Jones and Matthew Ward, Duncan Scott, an eight-time Olympic medalist and 13-time Commonwealth medalist, will look to kick off his title defense in front of his home nation. Scott is far from the only Scot in action today; Katie Shanahan and Holly McGill are well placed in the 200 back. They’ll have to contend with the Australian trio of Hannah Fredericks, Jenna Forrester and top-seeded Iona Anderson if they wish to earn a podium spot tonight.
Events 200 meters and longer move directly to finals, but those shorter than 200 meters will see 16 swimmers advance from the morning’s prelims into the semifinals. While the depth of the field may not require swimmers to go full speed to make the top 16, it’ll give us, as viewers, a good gauge of their form. The men’s 50 back is one such race, as we get our first good look at Pieter Coetze after he lit up the competition at Worlds last summer. In Singapore, the South African took gold in the 100 back, and claimed runner-up honors in both the 50 and 200. This morning, he’ll look to better the times put up by his main rivals Isaac Cooper and Oliver Morgan from the preceding heats.
The 100 breaststroke, too, will be an interesting watch as world record holder Adam Ramsay-Peaty takes to the water. The recently married star has been embroiled in controversy lately and will be looking for a strong performance to refocus his attention on swimming. Ramsay-Peaty has an interesting relationship with the Games, winning the 50 breaststroke in Birmingham to complete his collection of medals in the event. However, he also missed the podium in this event, stating after that he wasn’t bothered by it. The Englishman is the top seed, but his margin over rivals Sam Williamson, Filip Nowacki and Oliver Dawson is not large, so expect there to be some fast swimming this morning.
Scattered throughout the morning are the para events. The S13 100 freestyle kicks things off for the para athletes with Jenna Jones of Australia the top seed in the women’s event. There are only eight entrants, but less than a second separates the top six, and just .12 separates first from fourth, so expect the finish this morning to be close. The men’s race, too, has just one heat, but the 2nd seed Stephen Clegg will certainly have most of the support of the crowd as the Scot and six-time Paralympic medalist chases down the top-seeded South African Nathan Hendrick.
The session concludes with the prelims of the women’s and men’s 4×100 free relays. There are only 10 women’s entries and 15 men’s entries, so top seeds Australia won’t have to use all their strengths this morning, but look for the teams seeded 7th-10th to be fighting for a spot in the final tonight.
Women’s 400 Free – Prelims
World Record: 3:54.18 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025 Commonwealth Record: 3:54.18 – Summer McIntosh (CAN), 2025 Commonwealth Games Record: 3:58.06 – Ariarne Titmus (AUS), 2022 2022 Champion – Ariarne Titmus (AUS) – 3:58.06Top 8:
MEN’S 200 IM – Prelims
World Record: 1:52.69 – Leon Marchand (FRA), 2025 Commonwealth Record: 1:55.28 – Duncan Scott (GBR), 2021 Commonwealth Games Record: 1:56.88 – Duncan Scott (SCO), 2022 2022 Champion: Duncan Scott (SCO) – 1:56.88Top 8:
WOMEN’S S13 100 Free – Prelims
Top 8:
MEN’S S13 100 Free – Prelims
Top 8:
WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – Prelims
World Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023 Commonwealth Record: 2:03.14 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023 Commonwealth Games Record: 2:05.60 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2022 2022 Champion: Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2:05.60Top 8:
MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – Prelims
World Record: 23.55 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2023 Commonwealth Record: 24.04 – Liam Tancock (GBR), 2009 Commonwealth Games Record: 24.62 – Liam Tancock (ENG), 2010 2022 Champion: Andrew Jeffcoat (NZL) – 24.65Top 16:
WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – Prelims
World Record: 24.43 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014 Commonwealth Record: 25.20 – Francesca Halsall (GBR), 2014 Commonwealth Games Record: 25.20 – Francesca Halsall (ENG), 2014 2022 Champion: Emma McKeon (AUS) – 25.90Top 16:
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – Prelims
World Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 Commonwealth Record: 56.88 – Adam Peaty (GBR), 2019 Commonwealth Games Record: 58.59 – Adam Peaty (ENG), 2018 2022 Champion: James Wilby (ENG) – 59.25Top 16:
WOMEN’S SM10 200 IM- Prelims
Commonwealth Games Record – 2:27.72, Sophie Pascoe (NZL), 2018 2022 Champion – Jasmine Greenwood (AUS), 2:33.29Top 8:
MEN’S S10 100 BUTTERFLY – Prelims
Commonwealth Games Record – 56.91, Col Pearse (AUS), 2022 2022 Champion – Col Pearse (AUS), 56.91Top 8:
WOMEN’S 4×00 FREESTYLE RELAY – Prelims
World Record: 3:27.96 – Australia (O’Callaghan, Jack, Harris, McKeon), 2023 Commonwealth Record: 3:27.96 – Australia (O’Callaghan, Jack, Harris, McKeon), 2023 Commonwealth Games Record: 3:30.05 – Australia (Jack, B. Campbell, McKeon, C. Campbell), 2018 2022 Champion: Australia (Wilson, Jack, O’Callaghan, McKeon) – 3:30.64Top 8:
MEN’S 4×00 FREESTYLE RELAY – Prelims
World Record: 3:08.24 – USA (Phelps, Weber-Gale, Jones, Lezak), 2008 Commonwealth Record: 3:08.97 – Australia (Southam, Taylor, Giuliani, Chalmers), 2025 Commonwealth Games Record: 3:11.12 – Australia (Southam, Incerti, Yang, Chalmers) , 2022 2022 Champion: Australia (Southam, Incerti, Yang, Chalmers) – 3:11.12Top 8:
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