Saffy strikes: Aussie gold rush in Glasgow

Australia opened up its 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games campaign with a glittering night at Tollcross Stadium that saw the Dolphins claim six gold – one in Championship Record time – three silver and two bronze.

While ironwoman Lani Pallister dominated as expected, Jenna Forrester shocked the crowd and herself with a backstroke title, our men’s and women’s 4x100m free relay teams continued their dominance and Jenna Jones (S13, 100m free) and Alex Saffy (S10, 100m fly/main picture) also stood on top of the podium.

Pallister’s dominant win in the 400m freestyle – the first final on the Games’ swimming program – was the perfect start to a Glasgow campaign that is expected to reap her a rich medal haul.

Mollie O’Callaghan later spearheaded a comfortable win in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay, while the men’s 4×100 freestyle team rounded out the session by ruthlessly capturing Australia’s sixth gold medal in 3:09.49 – a Games record.

But there was nothing predictable about Forrester’s haul of gold in the in the 200m backstroke and bronze in the 400m free all within a 50 minute blitz.

For Forrester, her backstroke gold was her first Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Forrester finished fourth in the event at the June trials and was only brought in when backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown had to pull out with glandular fever.

Pallister was the only 400m finalist to go under four minutes, clocking three minutes 59.56 seconds to easily beat New Zealander Erika Fairweather.

The 24-year-old led from the start and kicked clear late, finishing well ahead of Fairweather (4:02.65) and Forrester (4:05.25).

Pallister, the daughter of three-time Commonwealth Games medallist Janelle Elford, was outside the Games record of 3:58.06, set by Australian great Ariarne Titmus in Birmingham.

It was also notably short of her 3:58.87 personal best, with Pallister admitting she wasn’t happy with the time.

But it represented a breakthrough win given COVID-19 cruelled her Paris Olympics campaign. Pallister had qualified for the three-distance freestyle events but could only race in the 800m.

“Without all the ups and downs I wouldn’t be the person or the athlete that I am today, and I think that’s really special,” she said after the win.

“I’m proud of the journey that I’ve been on and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I think it’s really shaped me into a good human.”

Pallister revealed her mother is on a plane back to Australia after working at an altitude training in Sierra Nevada with the national open water swim team.

“It’s amazing. I’m so fortunate that my mum has taken me the whole way through and kind of shown me the ropes, and Dawn (Fraser, Australian sporting icon and Pallister’s godmother) as well,” she said.

Pallister is also favourite to win the 800m and 1500m freestyle, and will also contest the 200m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay.

“The first event of the Games is always one to set the tone, so I’m happy that I can do that for the whole team,” she said.

Para Swimmer Jenna Jones claimed Australia’s second gold, taking out the S13 100m freestyle on Saturday morning (AEST), before Forrester’s big upset.

“I did not expect that to happen tonight – I am so over the moon,” Forrester said.

“I didn’t really have much expectation going into the 400 free or the 200 backstroke, so I’m really happy with how that went.”

Australian William Petric qualified fastest in the 200m medley, but was fourth in the final as Scottish legend Duncan Scott had the crowd roaring with the host nation’s first gold.

Alex Perkins was the fastest semi-finalist in the 50m butterfly, while fellow Australians Sam Williamson and Zac Stubblety-Cook reached their day-two 100m breaststroke final.

Commonwealth Games Australia