Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: A Glasgow student’s review

After 11 days, 74 nations and 10 sports across four venues, the Commonwealth games have left Glasgow. What started as a cut-price stand-in after Victoria pulled out of hosting last minute turned into a successful Games full of Scottish spirit. 

Scotland’s stars delivered.

Duncan Scott didn’t waste any time, winning Scotland’s first gold of the Games on night one, taking the men’s 200m individual medley at Tollcross with a Games record. The swimming success didn’t stop there: Team Scotland won 12 medals in the pool, including a double-gold for Anghrad Evans.  

Josh Kerr saved his best for last, closing the games in gold. The mile returned to the Commonwealth programme for the first time since 1966 and the world record holder delivered. After getting boxed in on the final lap at Scotstoun, he found a gap and swept past Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot and Australia’s Cameron Myers to win in 3:54.12. 

The story of the Games 

Via Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

If you were watching the swimming – or maybe even if you weren’t – you might already know about Archie Goodburn. The 2026 Edinburgh University graduate and Scottish 50m breaststroke record holder was diagnosed with an incurable, inoperable brain cancer in 2024, while training for the Paris Olympic trials. Two years on, he finished joint seventh at Tollcross in his first Commonwealth final. 

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What he has done since shows not only the incredible strength Goodburn displays, but the power of sport. He’s used every interview during and since the Games to push for a national brain cancer lead within the UK government, saying he wants a future where brain cancer isn’t the biggest killer of under-40s in the country. He’s described it as swimming “for the future Archies,” and there are now reports he could be heading into talks with Prime Minister Andy Burnham about cancer research investment. 

It really gets to the heart of what the Commonwealth Games are actually about. Fast times and medal counts are inspirational, but to see athletes pour all of their grit, resilience, and passion into sport is why we pack out stadiums and shout at the screen. Sometimes the Commonwealth Games’ best moments are less about who wins, and more about the humanity behind the race. 

Closer to home than you might think 

If you’re a Strathclyde student, you weren’t imagining it. The uni’s sports facility spent the Games hosting Australian swimmers in its pool and Fijian powerlifters in its gym. So if the guy in the next lane was smoking you for a fortnight, don’t worry, there’s a decent chance he’s taking a medal back Down Under.  

After all that excitement, maybe you’ve been inspired to try out a new sport… or maybe you’d rather leave it to the professionals. Whatever you took from it, Glasgow was a great Games. Onto Ahmedabad for the next. 

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Featured image via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0