Commonwealth Games 2026, Evening Session, Tuesday July 28: Time for serious speed
Without question the men’s and women’s 100 metres finals are always regarded as the headline act. And tonight was no exception with two stunning finals providing plenty of fireworks to keep the Glasgow crowd entertained.
Tuesday evening’s highlights
- National records needed to make men’s and women’s 100 finals
- The men’s 100m won in 9.83, a Games record despite the rain
- The women’s 100m won in 10.93, an Area record
- Sub four-minute final mile in the men’s 10,000m
Men's 100m Semis and Final
The cool and very wet conditions did little to slow Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme in the first semi-final. He ran an eye-opening 9.89 for a national record, which was also just 0.01sec shy of the Games record. And that was just the first race. At that point, a world class 10.00 did necessarily guarantee a place in the final.
The next race featured Team England’s Elliot Jones (Leon Baptiste, Liverpool Pembroke). But after a late call up just the day before the heats, which he won in 10.07, his exciting adventure – including taking the bus to Glasgow – came to an end. He was seventh in 10.24 although in his heat, former England Age Group champion, Wales’s Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff) qualified for the final with 10.00.
“I didn’t run the race I know I can run. I ran well until 30 metres then for whatever reason I didn’t pick up. I know I can do better,” said Jones. “I’m so incredibly proud. It’s been my dream to compete in the majors so I want to give a shout out to youngsters to say you can make it! A big shout out to my coaches. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The final was nothing short of sensational as Eseme broke the Games record with a stunning 9.83. What he could run in warm, dry conditions is anybody’s guess. Incredible. Behind him, Lachlan Kennedy from Australia ran an Oceanic Record of 9.85.
“That was a crazy race,” said 32-year-old Eseme. “I just said to myself do the same thing after the semi and I’ll be alright. I can’t complain about the weather. We all competed in the same environment.”
Women's 100m Semis and Final
Imani Lansiquot (Marco Airale, Sutton and District) was never headed in her semi-final to comfortably advance to the final with 11.13. Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Assindustria Sport Ita) joined her training partner in the final a couple of races later. She was actually a little slow out of her blocks, but a great final 40 metres in the pouring rain meant she clocked 11.02 to win the third semi.
In the first race, Australia’s Torrie Lewis ran a national record of 11.00 to qualify, while Mabel Akande (Denise Timmis, Lincoln Wellington) ran 11.30 for sixth.
“I’m proud of myself to make the semis. I know where I stand and how much more I have to go,” said Akande, praising her club Lincoln Wellington and her coaches.
So, to the final: Hunt was slow out of the blocks but closed the fastest of all. However, she ran out of track and it was New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs who flew to an Oceanic record of 10.93 and the gold medal. Hunt was rewarded with a 10.98 and the silver medal while Lansiquot was fourth in 11.02.
Women's Hammer Throw Final
Charlotte Payne (Ian Payne, Newbury) opened her account with a very respectable 66.09 which put her in second early on. Canada’s Camryn Rogers, the Olympic champion and No.2 of all-time then entered the competition and all but booked her spot-on top of the podium with 71.52 fully five metres clear of the pack.
Payne, clearly in superb form, improved to 67.28 to strengthen her grip on the bronze, while the Canadian also improved to 74.38. But Payne couldn’t respond when New Zealander Lauren Bruce sneaked by with 68.93. The Team England athlete could go no further and had to settle for fourth.
“I loved every minute of it. Fourth place is a bit bitter sweet and I know I’m capable of third, but I’m really pleased,” said Payne
Teammate, Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Wigan and District) struggled with the tricky conditions – as did many of her rivals – early on. Finally, in the third round after two fouls she threw 62.94 to move her to ninth. “I enjoyed every second of that,” she said.
Men's 10,000m Final
Around a dozen runners, tightly packed went through 5km in 14:15.52. Among them was Team England’s Scott Beattie (Andrew Hobdell, Morpeth) who sat at the back of that pack keeping an eye on things waiting for when the fireworks were lit. With five laps to go, they weren’t exactly ignited. However, slowly but surely the pace increased, with Beattie sitting where he had for the whole race, at the back ready to cover every move. Then, with three to go, Beattie surged to the shoulder of Australia’s Ky Robinson, the leader, perfectly positioned to cover any moves for the final kilometre. He did just that but couldn’t live with Robinson’s surge over the final 600 metres. The Australian was in full control and never headed, crossing the line in 27:48.93 with Beattie in fifth in 27:54.50.
“That was alright,” said Beattie, slightly disappointed but quickly coming to terms with his run. “I’m pleased really. I didn’t feel that great. It was a very up and down pace with a few falls so a lot of it was just getting through the first half and staying out of trouble. I thought the move would come a lot earlier, but it only came with a mile to go. I ran 4:02 for the final mile but just got detached with 250 to go.
“My girlfriend’s family is from Scotland, so I made them get England flags,” he added with a smile!
Women's Heptathlon
A fabulous shot competition from a Team England point of view got the evening session going. Jade O’Dowda (John Lane, Newham and Essex Beagles), 13.28, Ellen Barber (John Lane, Wells City) 13.17 and Niamh Emerson (Aston Moore, Newham and Essex Beagles), 12.94 took second, third and fourth in Pool A. That meant O’Dowda headed to the final event of day one, the 200m, with 2789pts and the overall lead with Emerson in third with 2663pts.
Barber was hanging tough in ninth just 217pts off the lead, remarkable given her story. There’s been a lot of talk about Emerson’s return from injury but let’s not forget Barber has also successfully fought back after what doctors described as ‘career-ending’ surgery. She went to Birmingham 2022 but as a spectator. “I remember stepping in and thinking this is going to be the last time I will be watching. The next four years I’m going to make it and be there and come back and give it my all,” she said before the Games started.
The final event on day one was the 200 metres, which saw a slight shuffle of the overall standings. Pre-event favourite Northern Ireland’s Kate O’Connor (Newry) moved from second to first thanks to her 24.14. Behind her, O’Dowda slipped back to second after her 24.93 while Emerson occupied fourth thanks to her 24.95. Barber moved to eighth thanks to her 24.71.
Women's High Jump Final
In a rain delayed competition, Morgan Lake (Yannick Tregaro, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) came in at 1.82 and sadly, fouled three times in the tough conditions.
Men's Long Jump T20 Final
The world record holder Abdul Romly from Malaysia easily coped with the pouring rain, jumping 7.17 in the third round. The Olympic champion had two other jumps over seven metres, despite missing the board by a fair amount, even with his best jump. Behind him, Team England’s Samuel Jose, T20 (Cornwall) was fourth with 6.04.
Home countries athletes making the headlines
Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff), the World champion over 60 metres finished fifth in the 100m final. Representing Wales, he flew to 10.00 in a rain sodden second semi-final before backing that up with 10.04 in a just as wet final. As ever, he was fast out of the blocks but the four in front of him cracked the 10-second barrier.
“The guys ran crazy fast,” said Azu. “I didn’t that it would be that fast and I didn’t really make any mistakes. It was just amazing.”
In the men’s 10,000m, David Mullarkey (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City) from the Isle of Man led through 7km much to the surprise of many. However, it was no real surprise he was there as he’s run 27:36.58 this season and easily capable of covering matching the 68-second laps the field were clicking out. Even as the pace ramped up in the final mile, he was never out of the top three and he ran superbly for the island’s first ever medal, a bronze in 27:50.28.
And as reported above, Kate O’Connor from Northern Ireland led the heptathlon overnight.
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