Sport: The Commonwealth Games is underway - and a host of Australian stars are looking to make a flying start!
After WA’s own flagbearer Nina Kennedy led the Aussies into The Hydro in Glasgow for the opening ceremony, the real action is set to get going from later afternoon Perth time.
We’ll be blogging across the entire evening, night and early morning (WA time) to keep you across the latest!
Key Events
Semifinal results
We’ve had some semifinals to break up proceedings at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Australia’s Henry Allan and Isaac Cooper have gone through to the men’s 50m backstroke final, while Alex Perkins has done the same in the women’s 50m butterfly.
Forrester wins women’s 200m backstroke!
What a swim from Jenna Forrester!
Only minutes after claiming bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle - and collecting her medal - she has stormed home to win the women’s 200m backstoke in 2min8.17sec
Her teammate Hannah Fredericks was third, while WA’s Iona Anderson struggled to get going and came sixth.
Channel Seven’s Ariarne Titmus called the effort “one of the all-time back-ups I have ever seen”.
“I did not expect that to happen,” Forrester said.
“I was really happy with my 400. I didn’t know what to expect.
“I gave it my all and I’m so proud of myself.
“I’m just so shocked, to be honest.”
Foster claims bronze
Meanwhile, Hani Foster has won a gold medal for Australia by getting 147kg up in the women’s powerlifting.
That’s a fine effort from an athlete who has dealt with plenty of adversity.
Lani’s say
Clearly, Lani Pallister has high standards.
“I’m not super stoked with the time, you probably could’ve seen that on my face at the end,” she said after winning gold in the women’s 400m freestyle.
“It’s important to build and keep going and move on from it.”
But she was happy to one-up her mother and former coach Janelle, who won bronze in the event at the 1990 Games in Auckland.
“She’ll probably just tell me she’s happy for me and super proud of me,” Pallister said.
Pallister has now been presented her gold medal - as has bronze medallist Jenna Forester, who will have to race of the dais to prepare for the 200m women’s backstroke, which is up next.
More medals, and more gold!
Australia’s Jenna Jones has won gold in the women’s 100m S13 freestyle!
Jones produced an incredible swim to win in 1min3.89sec, and her fellow Dolphin Kirralee Hayes claimed bronze.
“It’s actually crazy ... I was in so much shock,” Jones told Channel Seven’s Ariarne Titmus.
S13 athletes deal with a visual impairment.
Men’s 200m IM up next
Scotland’s Duncan Scott has given the home crowd at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, winning his 14th Commonwealth Games medal by claiming gold.
Australia’s Will Petric came home quick, but his 1min57.87 effort was only good enough for fourth.
Pallister wins gold!
Lani Pallister has cruised to Australia’s first gold medal in the pool at the 2026 Commonwealth Games!
New Zealander Erika Fairweather tried to press her from lane five but Pallister proved far too good, winning by more than three seconds in 3min59.56sec.
“Any time you swim under that four minute mark, it’s an exceptional, world class swim,” the legendary Ariarne Titmus said.
And there has also been medal joy for her compatriot Jenna Forrester, who has claimed bronze in 4:02.25.
Arnie’s say
Of course, the recently-retired Ariarne Titmus will not be competing in the women’s 400m freestyle, which she has claimed the gold medal at in the last two editions of the game.
And with Lani Pallister looking to follow in her footsteps, the now Channel Seven commentator says the event is “Lani’s race to win”.
“She looked super cruisy this morning and I can’t wait to see what sort of time she produces tonight,” Titmus said.
We are only a few minutes away from the final, which will be the first of nine gold medals on offer this evening in Glasgow.
Swimmers in day one finals
Australia’s chance to open their medal account and start the gold rush with the day one swimming finals.
There is a bounty of Aussies in the hunt that will be gunning for gold as finals are close to getting underway.
Lani Pallister is the punters favourite to snare a Commonwealth gold in the 400m freestyle. While WA’s Iona Anderson is a serious chance in the backstroke.
Here is who to root for before they dive in:
Women’s 400m freestyle:
Lani Pallister
Jenna Forrester
Amelia Weber
Men’s 200m individual medley:
William Petric
Brendon Smith
Women’s 100m freestyle:
Jenna Jones
Kirralee Hayes
Mia Hogan
Women’s 200m backstroke:
Iona Anderson
Jenna Forrester
Hannah Fredericks
Women’s 200m individual medley:
Jasmine Greenwood
Men’s 100m butterfly:
Alex Saffy
Col Pearse
Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay
Jonah Antonio heat check
LeBron James isn’t the only baller making headlines today, as the men’s 3x3 side remain undefeated with a win over Nigeria.
The Jesse Wagstaff led side added another move another step closer to medal glory with the 21-15 victory.
Jonah Antonio had the hot hand leading the way with 12 points, going 6/10 from beyond the arc while not registering any other stats.
Australia’s glass cleaning proved to be the difference, grabbing 12 rebounds to only four for Nigeria.
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