The second night of racing here at the Commonwealth Games 2026 was certain to be a big night of action! With 8 final swims secured from this morning’s heats session, it was a busy night for Team NI swimmers in the water.
Stealing the show on night two was none other than Bethany Firth for the S14 200m Freestyle final. Firth, defending champion from Birmingham 2022, led out the charge for the first 100m of the race. Being stalked in lanes 3 & 5 by the two English athletes (Sheffield & Maskill), Bethany fought to the end to be narrowly touched out and finished 3rd in a time of 2:07.63. After her medal presentation, Bethany and her daughter, Charlotte, paraded around the pool – a moment that will stay with Bethany forever.
Starting off the night, Jack McMillan and Daniel Wiffen opened up the action in the Men’s 400m Freestyle. McMillan racing beside Aquatics GB teammate James Guy (ENG) and Wiffen beside Sam Short (AUS), this was set to be a brilliant final. In an Australian-dominated final securing all 3 medals, Wiffen pushed the race hard until the very end, improving on his time from this morning (3:47.22), while McMillan was narrowly outside of this morning’s time (3:49.18).
In the next event, Danielle Hill, Grace Davison and Lottie Cullen all raced in tonight’s 100m Backstroke semi-finals. In semi-final one, Cullen and Hill were separated by just 0.01 seconds, with Lottie touching in a time of 1:00.82 (8th) and Danielle Hill (9th) finishing in 1:00.83. Lottie Cullen spoke after the mixed zone – “I’m pretty happy with that swim, just did enough to make it back and not too far off of my best. Still some things to clean up and another chance to swim tomorrow. I’m just delighted to be able to progress through the rounds”. We will see Lottie Cullen tomorrow night in the final for this event. Grace Davison was next into the water, swimming in lane 6. She swam a 1:01.20 (10th).
After breaking the Ulster Senior Record & Irish Junior Record, Matthew Hamilton returned to the pool for his 100m Butterfly semi-final. After smashing his lifetime best this morning, he swam in the second semi-final alongside fastest qualifier Matthew Temple (AUS) and past Olympic, World and Commonwealth Champion Chad le Clos (RSA). Out in a 24.45 to 50m, he battled his way to another lifetime best of 52.62, shaving 0.13 off this morning’s swim! That swim placed Hamilton 9th overall and 1st reserve for tomorrow evening’s final.
Next into the water was none other than Bethany Firth for the S14 200m Freestyle final. Firth, defending champion from Birmingham 2022, led out the charge for the first 100m of the race. Being stalked in lanes 3 & 5 by the two English athletes (Sheffield & Maskill), Bethany fought to the end to be narrowly touched out and finished 3rd in a time of 2:07.63.
Ellie McCartney was the last Team NI swimmer to make a splash tonight in the water as she raced the 100m Breaststroke semi-final. Racing in semi-final 1 and in lane 6 beside the host nation’s Anna Morgan in lane 7 (SCO), McCartney competed in front of a deafening crowd. Battling throughout the entire race, McCartney finished in a time of 1:08.63 to place her 10th overall in the event.
More swimming action returns tomorrow morning here at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.