Glasgow 2026 review: Australia dominate as Kukundakwe makes history for Uganda

Australia completed the Glasgow 2026 Para Swimming programme at the top of the medals table, winning six of the 14 events and collecting 16 medals across six days at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

Yet one of the defining results came from outside the leading team. Husnah Kukundakwe claimed silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8, earning Uganda its first Commonwealth Games medal in swimming. It was also the country’s first medal in a Para sport and its first in any sport outside athletics or boxing.

Dolphins domination

Australia’s depth was evident from the opening race. Jenna Jones (S12) won the women’s 100m freestyle S13 ahead of Wales’ Ela Letton Jones (S12), with Australian teammate Kirralee Hayes taking bronze. Jones returned to the podium later in the competition with bronze in the 50m freestyle S13, an event won by Hayes.

Alex Saffy and Col Pearse delivered an Australian one-two in the men’s 100m butterfly S10, while Timothy Hodge defended his men’s 100m backstroke S9 title. Hodge also added bronze in the 100m breaststroke SB9, where 17-year-old Beau Matthews debuted in an international stage securing another Australian victory.

“It's my international debut and my first international gold medal, so it's incredibly special. It's been an incredible journey and it means so much,” Matthews said. “I've known Tim (Hodge) since I was about eight years old, so he's seen me develop throughout my whole career. It's been amazing to have him alongside me, pushing me over the last few years as I've worked to improve in this event.”

Lakeisha Patterson brought the campaign to a fitting close with gold in the women’s 100m freestyle S9. The four-time Commonwealth Games competitor returned to the pool where she made her senior international debut for Australia at Glasgow 2014. Emily Beecroft followed her home for silver, with Scotland’s Toni Shaw completing the podium.

Australia won medals in nine of the 14 events, combining established performers such as Patterson, Hodge and Pearse with first time Commonwealth Games competitors including Matthews, Gemma Sellick and Victoria Belando Nicholson.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Paralympic champion Brock Whiston and 🇦🇺 Beau Matthews were the #ParaSwimming gold medallists on Day 4 at #Glasgow2026.

Whiston claimed the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8 title while Matthews made a winning international debut by taking gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9. pic.twitter.com/D0YFzawbNK

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) July 28, 2026

Uganda’s first 

Kukundakwe’s breakthrough arrived on the fourth day. The Ugandan captain was level with England’s Brock Whiston at the halfway point of the SB8 breaststroke final before Whiston pulled clear to win in a Commonwealth Games record of 1:22.05. Kukundakwe secured silver, while England’s Iona Winnifrith took bronze.

“I didn’t even see the scoreboard,” Kukundakwe said. “I just saw Uganda somewhere in the top three, and I didn’t even know whether it was first, second or third. All I knew was, ‘Wow, I’ve done it.’”

For Kukundakwe, the result carried a meaning beyond the podium.

“I hope it leads to more government funding for Para sport. Swimming also isn’t a sport that’s particularly well supported in Uganda, so taking this medal home shows that our swimming team and our Para sport team have so much potential to make the country proud.”

🗣️💬 “I didn’t even see the scoreboard,” Kukundakwe said. “I just saw Uganda somewhere in the top three, and I didn’t even know whether it was first, second or third. All I knew was, ‘Wow, I’ve done it.’”

— 🇺🇬 Husnah Kukundakwe pic.twitter.com/d59kEbbMUf

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) July 30, 2026

Veterans on spotlight 

Several established names also met expectations at Tollcross. Alice Tai claimed her third successive Commonwealth Games title in the women’s 100m backstroke, leading an Australian pair of Sellick and Belando Nicholson.

Tai’s victory formed part of a four-gold campaign for Team England. Georgia Sheffield defeated Paralympic and world champion Poppy Maskill to lead an English one-two in the women’s 200m freestyle S14. William Ellard won the corresponding men’s race, while Whiston completed England’s list of champions.

Team Scotland celebrated two Para swimming titles on home water. Faye Rogers won the women’s 200m individual medley SM10 on the opening evening, finishing ahead of Australia’s Jasmine Greenwood and Canada’s Mary Jibb.

“It's just so surreal. I'm so, so excited. I've been so anxious all day. I've genuinely never been that nervous before a race. I was trying to reflect on why that might be, and I think it's because it's not my event. I'm very much a butterfly swimmer, so having to race a length of breaststroke is always a bit nerve-racking. I'm just super excited that I pulled it off,” Rogers said, before praising the home fans:

“The crowd were incredible. I could hear them every stroke. It's not like me to be coming through on the breaststroke, so it obviously worked. I'm just so proud, and it's such a privilege to represent Scotland.”

Stephen Clegg started his campaign with silver behind South Africa’s Nathan Hendricks in the men’s 100m freestyle S13. Four days later, the Scottish swimmer reversed their order in the 50m freestyle S13, taking gold ahead of Hendricks and Canada’s Nicolas Guy Turbide.

South Africa finished with two gold and two silver medals. Hendricks delivered the country’s first swimming title of Glasgow 2026 before adding his 50m freestyle silver. Danika Vyncke finished second in the women’s 50m freestyle S13, while Christian Sadie won the final Para swimming event, the men’s 50m freestyle S7.

Golden performances in the 50m freestyle S13 🥇

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Stephen Clegg delighted the home crowd with victory in the men’s 50m freestyle S13, while 🇦🇺 Kirralee Hayes claimed gold in the women’s event at #Glasgow2026.#ParaSwimming pic.twitter.com/qbzeUeHMJG

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) July 30, 2026

Glasgow 2026 Para swimming results

Friday, 24 July 

Women's 100m Freestyle S13  
Gold: Jenna Jones (Australia) 
Silver: Ela Letton-Jones (Wales) 
Bronze: Kirralee Hayes (Australia)  

Men's 100m Freestyle S13  
Gold: Nathan Hendricks (South Africa) 
Silver: Stephen Clegg (Scotland) 
Bronze: Matthew Redfern (England) 

Women's 200m Individual Medley SM10 
Gold: Faye Rogers (Scotland) 
Silver: Jasmine Greenwood (Australia) 
Bronze: Mary Jibb (Canada) 

Men's 100m Butterfly S10  
Gold: Alex Saffy (Australia) 
Silver: Col Pearse (Australia) 
Bronze: Jack Gill (Canada) 

Saturday, 25 July

Women’s 200m Freestyle S14 
Gold: Georgia Sheffield (England) 
Silver: Poppy Maskill (England) 
Bronze: Bethany Firth (Northern Ireland) 

Men’s 200m Freestyle S14 
Gold: William Ellard (England) 
Silver: Jack Ireland (Australia) 
Bronze: Rhys Darbey (Wales) 

Sunday, 26 July

Women’s 100m Backstroke S9 
Gold: Alice Tai (England) 
Silver: Gemma Sellick (Australia)  
Bronze: Victoria Belando Nicholson (Australia) 

Men’s 100m Backstroke S9 
Gold: Timothy Hodge (Australia) 
Silver: Barry McClements (Northern Ireland) 
Bronze: Harrison Vig (Australia) 

Monday, 27 July

Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB9 
Gold: Beau Matthews (Australia) 
Silver: Joshua Willmer (New Zealand) 
Bronze: Timothy Hodge (Australia) 

Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB8 
Gold: Brock Whiston (England) 
Silver: Husnah Kukundakwe (Uganda) 
Bronze: Iona Winnifrith (England) 

Tuesday, 28 July

Men’s 50m Freestyle S13 
Gold: Stephen Clegg (Scotland) (S12) 
Silver: Nathan Hendricks (South Africa)  
Bronze: Nicolas Guy Turbide (Canada) 

Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 
Gold: Kirralee Hayes (Australia) 
Silver: Danika Vyncke (South Africa) 
Bronze: Jenna Jones (Australia)   

Wednesday, 29 July

Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 
Gold: Lakeisha Patterson (Australia) 
Silver: Emily Beecroft (Australia) 
Bronze: Toni Shaw (Scotland) 

Men's 50m Freestyle S7 
Gold: Christian Sadie (South Africa) 
Silver: Wei Soong Toh (Singapore) 
Bronze: Bruce Dee (England)