Nine medals for Stirling swimmers on opening weekend of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games
It's been a memorable start for Stirling athletes at the Glasgow 2026 showcase
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Swimmers from the University of Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, have won nine medals on the opening weekend of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
On Sunday evening Stirling’s Angharad Evans won an emotional first Commonwealth gold with a storming performance in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke in front of a rapturous home crowd at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
Speaking after the victory, Angharad said: “It really was a special moment to touch the wall, hear the crowd, see my family, see my coaches and just cherish that moment.
“I’m immensely proud. I was looking at what I was doing this time four years ago when the Commonwealth Games were in Birmingham.
“I’d quit swimming, I really didn’t enjoy the sport and I thought that was it for me. I’d packed it in.
“When other athletes were winning medals I was doing anything but swimming. You could’ve told me that I would be winning a gold medal in front of a home crowd four years later and I’d have said you were lying to me.
“Even when you dream of it, it’s so different to experience it.”
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Commonwealth Games gold medallist
It really was a special moment to touch the wall, hear the crowd, see my family, see my coaches and just cherish that moment. “I’m immensely proud. I was looking at what I was doing this time four years ago when the Commonwealth Games were in Birmingham. I’d quit swimming, I really didn’t enjoy the sport and I thought that was it for me. I’d packed it in.
The BA (Hons) Business Studies and Management student became the second Stirling athlete to secure gold with Duncan Scott, Scotland’s most decorated Olympian, securing a memorable win on Friday night in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley. He was joined at the medal ceremony by Stirling teammate Tom Dean who won bronze for England in the same event.
More home joy for Team Scotland followed as Stirling’s Katie Shanahan won silver in the Women’s 200m Backstroke, with a delighted Katie saying: “I’m so happy and so grateful to have got the silver medal.
“I didn’t have too many expectations coming into the games, but I definitely wanted to get onto the podium in one event. To have done that on day one it felt like the pressure was off.
“The pressure’s off now and I can just enjoy the meet. Anything else is a bonus now and racing in front of this crowd is just so special."
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Team England swimmer and four time Glasgow 2026 medallist
It’s a testament to the team around me, Ben (Higson) my coach up at Stirling, my training partners Duncan (Scott), Jack (McMillan), Katie (Shanahan), Freya (Anderson) and the rest of the team. Watching Angharad win the 100m Breaststroke and Katie get a medal in the backstroke is really, really special. Stirling are coming out in full force.
The 200m Individual Medley bronze is one of four medals won so far by triple Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean in Glasgow, having also been part of the England team that has won silver in the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay and Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay - where he was joined in the England team by fellow Stirling swimmer Freya Anderson.
Reflecting on his first year as part of Stirling’s coveted High Performance Swim Programme, Tom said: “I didn’t know what to expect coming into this Commonwealth Games. It’s my first year at Stirling so it’s a change of environment and I’ve also been battling injury.
“It’s a testament to the team around me, Ben (Higson) my coach up at Stirling, my training partners Duncan (Scott), Jack (McMillan), Katie (Shanahan), Freya (Anderson) and the rest of the team.
Katie Shanahan won a memorable silver medal in front of a home crowd.
“It’s been a really tough and testing season. To get another medal put round my neck and see the England flag raised, albeit in silver when we wanted gold, is still very special.
“Watching Angharad win the 100m Breaststroke and Katie get a medal in the backstroke is really, really special. Stirling are coming out in full force.
“It’s been a real honour to be accepted into the programme over the past year, to train hard, to push and to win medals for my country but also for Stirling as well.”
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Head of Performance Sport University of Stirling
While we're incredibly proud of what has already been achieved, there is still so much action to come and many more opportunities for our athletes to showcase their talent. As a university, we continue to brim with pride at everything they are accomplishing and look forward to supporting them throughout the rest of the Games.
Tom’s England teammate and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Freya Anderson was also part of the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay squad that secured silver.
University of Stirling Director of Performance Sport, David Bond said: “The performances we've seen over the opening weekend have once again shown that Stirling athletes continue to set the standard in the pool. It has been fantastic to see a mix of experienced athletes and Commonwealth Games debutants delivering medals and outstanding performances at this level from the outset.
“These results are a testament to the strength of our high-performance programme and the environment created by our coaches and support staff, whose expertise, commitment and attention to detail have helped prepare our athletes to perform.
“While we're incredibly proud of what has already been achieved, there is still so much action to come and many more opportunities for our athletes to showcase their talent. As a university, we continue to brim with pride at everything they are accomplishing and look forward to supporting them throughout the rest of the Games.”
Duncan Scott secured Scotland's first gold medal to send the home crowd at Tollcross wild.
The action in Glasgow continues this week, with Stirling gymnasts Cameron Lynn and Crystelle Lake in action for Team Scotland at the Glasgow International Arena. Cameron will compete in the pommel horse and horizontal bars finals - with Crystelle, on her Commonwealth Games debut, securing a place in the floor final.
Stirling scholar Shayne Humphries will be part of the Team Scotland wheelchair basketball squad that faces Wales this evening (Monday, 27 July), while Judoka Gabriella Wood will begin her campaign to secure a first Commonwealth medal when she competes for Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday (2 August).
You can keep up to date with all our athletes’ involvement on our dedicated web page.