Commonwealth Games 2026, Morning Session, Friday July 31: Keeping calm and collected
Team England’s athletes successfully negotiated a tricky morning session that involved re-runs and re-measurements. For the decathletes that involved the 110 Hurdles first thing and the always tense pole vault just before lunch and a Games record that wasn’t in the discus. Fortunately, it was all much calmer for the long jumpers. It was a case of, job done qualify and return to the hotel for the England trio. And finally, there was a little bit of – potentially unwanted – history as the T54 1500 metres final had to be re-run. Fortunately, for the winner, the result was the same.
Friday morning’s highlights
- Second Games’ record in women’s T54 1500 metres
- Controversy in the men’s decathlon discus
- Games record in the mixed 4x400 relay
- Team England qualify all three for women’s long jump
Men’s Decathlon
As if to emphasise just how tricky an early morning 110 Hurdles can be, Lindon Victor, the defending champion from Grenada struggled over every barrier to run what can only be described as a messy looking 15.67. It was the start of what would be a memorable morning for him for all the wrong reasons.
Fortunately however, from a Team England point of view it all went far smoother for Lewis Church (David Hull, Tonbridge) and Sammy Ball (Rafer Joseph, Reading).
Church ran 14.43 and Ball 14.61 while the leader overall, Canada’s Damian Warner edged further away from his rivals thanks to his 14.04.
However, it was a case of all-change in the discus. Usually one of the predictable events, this discipline saw the overall rankings close up dramatically. Incredibly, given his ropy looking start to the second day in the hurdles, Victor edged into the lead with what he thought was a discipline Games’ record of 56.07. However, after some discussion it was decided that throw was mis-measured, and he had to settle for 53.52. Nonetheless, that still meant he was third, just 53 points off the lead.
Meanwhile, it was again nothing but smooth for the England pair. Ball threw a nice and solid 42.43. Church, on the other hand started slowly but his second-round throw was fully 10 metres better than his first with 43.77. That meant Ball dropped back to fourth but only 78 points from the gold medal slot while Church was seventh.
Collecting your thoughts after all of that can’t be easy especially when it’s the pole vault next. It did take Victor a couple of attempts at 4.20 to get going but he found his rhythm and was rewarded with a season’s best of 4.70.
Ball matched, clearing 4.60 to haul himself temporarily into the silver medal position, but when all was done and dusted, the English pair headed to the javelin with Ball in third and Church, thanks to his 4.70, in sixth.
Women's 1500m T54 Final
It must have been a long 40 hours for Scotland’s Melanie Woods (Roger Harkins, Red Star). She won the first running of the 1500 metres in the Wednesday evening session, but due to a massive crash and a successful appeal her victory and Games’ best was removed from the record books. The race, it was ruled, would be re-run. Woods, who wasn’t involved in the crash in any way, was unphased. She took the second race by the scruff of its neck and led gun to tape to win in another Games record of 3:32.20.
“I’m so delighted to come out and do it again. What a roller coaster it’s been here,” Woods said. “My family had to go and buy some more tickets, but it was worth it. I’m so grateful and I can celebrate again.
“It was the time it took to make the decision that was the problem. It was hard to stay calm and be chilled. But it is what it is.”
Team England’s Ellis Kottas, T54 (Jenny Archer, Weir Archer) who had won the silver medal in the chaotic first race, clocked 4:03.30 to finish fourth. Understandably, she admitted to being: “low-key traumatised” by it all in this, her first Championships.
Women's Long Jump Qualifying Round
Jazmin Sawyers (Aston Moore, City of Stoke), the Team England women’s team captain, opened her account almost perfectly. Her 6.68 immediately put her in pole position and just 2cm below the auto qualifier. That was a good start for the silver medallist from when the Games were last in Glasgow, back in 2014. But Lucy Hadaway (Matt Barton, City of York) enjoyed an even better opener. Her 6.77, well beyond the auto mark of 6.70, meant she could pack up her kit bag safe in the knowledge she’d made the final.
“It was good; not too cold and not raining. Happy to get the job done early and now I can rest for the final. I think I can jump big. I know it’s a fast track so I’m looking forward to it,” said Hadaway.
She’s had a few years in the doldrums due to illness and injury but now 6.80+ is very much on the cards.
Talking of jumps with those figures, it took two more efforts, but Sawyers joined her teammate on the bus back after her third round 6.80.
Molly Palmer (Lukasz Zawila, TVH) was close to the auto mark with her opening mark of 6.64, but that was more than enough to join her teammates in the final.
Mixed 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
Team England comfortably qualified for the final. Toby Harries (David Sadkin, Brighton Phoenix), Poppy Malik (Nick Dakin, Harrow), Ben Jeffries (Bristol and West) and Laviai Nielsen (Enfield and Haringey) were untroubled winners of the second semi in 3:15.11.
Harries ran the first leg in 45.90 which put Team England in the lead. Malik followed that with 52.30 for second before Jeffries 45.60 and Nielsen brought it home in 51.31.
“I’m not a leg one runner; I’m a rolling boy so to hold my own on the first leg is very pleasing,” said Harries.
“It’s incredibly special to be part of this group,” added Malik, with Nielsen agreeing. “This is an incredible team. They made it so easy for me,” she concluded.
Nigeria won the first semi in a Games’ record of 3:14.58 (this is the first time it has been run).
Home countries athletes making the headlines
Scotland’s Callum Newby (Matt Cullen, Edinburgh) enjoyed a solid morning in the men’s decathlon that kept him well placed.
Team Scotland in the form of Brodie Young (James Mcmenemy, Airdrie), Bradley Francis (Glasgow Jaguars), Rebecca Grieve and Georgina Adam qualified for the mixed 4x400 final with 3:19.07. Young got things rolling with 47.00, Grieve followed that with 51.70. Next up was Francis with 46.50 and Adam ran the anchor with 53.87.
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