Paralympians top the podium at Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Paralympic stars were out in force at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with a host of medals for ParalympicsGB athletes over 11 days of competition.

Para Powerlifter Mark Swan claimed the first gold of Glasgow 2026 with a win for Team England in the men’s lightweight event, while on the penultimate day of competition Scotland’s Neil Fachie signed off his dazzling career with a second gold of Glasgow 2026 – and a record seventh Commonwealth title over four Games - competing this time with pilot Aaron Pope. Fachie, who is now Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, had retired from cycling after Paris 2024 but returned to the velodrome to pull on the Scotland vest one final time.

England Para cyclist Matthew Robertson got the better of his training partner Fin Graham to take gold with a new Games record in the men’s C1-C3 3,000m individual pursuit. Scotsman Fin had set a Games record in qualifying earlier the same day but was unable improve on his time and had to settle for silver.

England’s Charlotte Moore, Jade Atkin, Joy Haizelden and Lucy Robinson defeated Team Scotland – led by Robyn Love - in a home nations showdown to seal the 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball title while Aled Davies successfully defended his Commonwealth F42-44/F61-64 discus crown and Olivia Breen claimed long jump T38 gold for Wales. 

On the track, Scotland’s Melanie Woods won 400m and 1500m T54 gold, with Nathan Maguire winning the men’s 1500 T54, while Paralympic champion Ben Sandilands added to his array of titles with gold in the men’s 1500m T20. There were sprint titles too for England’s Sophie Hahn, Thomas Young and Zac Shaw.

In the pool Will Ellard, Faye Rogers, Stephen Clegg, Alice Tai and Brock Whiston all added to the gold medal haul with Bethany Firth marking her return to the Commonwealth Games since becoming a mum with bronze in the women’s S14 200m freestyle - Team Northern Ireland’s first medal of the Games.

Back-to-back European titles for Pritchard

Paralympic and world champion Benjamin Pritchard successfully defended his PR1 men’s single sculls continental crown at the European Rowing Championships in Italy, pulling away from home favourite Giacomo Perini in the closing stages to add yet another major title to his collection.

The PR3 Mixed Coxed Four of Josh O’Brien, Frankie Allen, Jonty Ridley, Charlotte Coburn, and cox Omar Al-Miqdadi also struck gold, setting a new European Best time of 06:47.80 in the process.

Para swimming records fall

Para swimmers Bethany Firth and Iona Winnifrith were among those on record-breaking form at the Dutch Open Championships earlier in July.

Bethany lowered the world record she set nearly 10 years ago on her way to winning the 100m backstroke S14, stopping the clock at 1:04.02, while Iona set a new world record time of 38.35 in the 50m breaststroke SB7. Among a host of other records, Will Ellard set a new European mark in the 100m backstroke S14, clocking 57.97.

Meanwhile Scarlett Humphrey clocked a new European record in the S11 100m Butterfly with her time of 1:15.52 at the Next Gen Championships.

Hewett and Reid win seventh Wimbledon doubles title

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid claimed their seventh Wimbledon men’s wheelchair doubles title in front of an ecstatic No.1 Court crowd at The Championships in south west London.

They defeated reigning Australian Open and US Open champions Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina and Tokito Oda of Japan 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Preparations for Wimbledon had gone well for the pair after winning the doubles at the Lexus British Open Roehampton, recovering from 7-2 down in a deciding match tie-break to defeat second seeds and 2025 Wimbledon champions Martin de la Puente and Ruben Spaargaren 6-4, 4-6, (11-9). Victory marked Alfie and Gordon’s fifth British Open title since 2015.  

Alfie was unable to regain the Wimbledon singles title he won in 2024 however, as the 28-year-old lost out to Japan’s Tokito Oda 6-1 6-1 in the final – a sixth successive Grand Slam singles title for Tokito who also beat Alfie in the final at Paris 2024.

Henshaw claims gold at Para Canoe World Cup

Charlotte Henshaw’s terrific season continues this time with a win in the KL2 200m at the Para Canoe World Cup in Montreal, while there was silver for Stuart Wood in the men’s VL3 200m.

Boccia World Cup gold for McGuire

Paralympic champion and world number one Stephen McGuire’s winning ways continue as the Scot claimed gold at boccia’s Povoa World Cup – a firm fixture on the international boccia calendar and the final tournament before the World Championships in September. Stephen also paired up with Sophie Newham to claim silver together in the BC4 Pairs, while there was a bronze for Sally Kidson and Patrick Wilson in the BC3 Pair.

British Para Archers on target in Czech

Jodie Grinham was on target at the World Para Series Czech, claiming women’s individual compound open gold as well as doubles gold alongside competition partner Phoebe Paterson Pine.

Nathan Macqueen and his partner Jamie Harris also secured doubles gold, while there were individual bronze medals for Phoebe and Nathan too.

Teenager Twomey seals win ahead of World Championships

European champion and Paralympic medallist Bly Twomey followed up her win at the ITTF World Para Future Nakhon Ratchasima by taking gold in the women’s class 7 singles at the ITTF World Para Elite Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand.

The Brighton-based teenager – one of a squad of 14 British athletes competing in Thailand in a bid to secure qualification for the World Championships later this year - defeated both the current world number one and the reigning world champion to lay down a marker ahead of the World Championships. There were also bronze medals for Rob Davies (men’s class 1), Paul Karabardak (men’s class 6), Joshua Stacey (men’s class 9) and Grace Williams (women’s class 8).

British Paralympians on track at London Diamond League

Paralympic champion and world record holder Ben Sandilands was in a league of his own as he took victory in the men’s ambulant 1500m at the London Diamond League athletics meeting, clocking 3:49.26, with Steven Bryce in second place.

Zac Shaw won the men’s 100m ambulant race with a season’s best time of 10.97, with compatriot Kevin Santos just behind.

Ellis and Pollard dominate at Para Triathlon World Series

Reigning Paralympic and world champion Dave Ellis and guide Luke Pollard were among the British winners at the World Triathlon Para Series in Hamburg, the fourth and final round of the 2026 Series. The pair clocked the fastest swim, bike and run splits on their way to gold in the PTVI class.

Henry Urand won the PTS3 class, while Megan Richter and Hannah Moore won silver and bronze respectively in the PTS4 category.

In the PTS5 category, Lauren Steadman took third position with Claire Cashmore – back racing after the birth of her first child less than eight months ago - just behind in fourth. 

Judokas kick off LA 2028 qualification campaign in style

Great Britain’s visually impaired judo squad enjoyed a successful trip to the IBSA São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil, returning home with four medals to mark an impressive start to the LA 2028 Paralympic qualification cycle.

Reigning World champion Dan Powell claimed silver in the J1 -95kg category after having to withdraw from the gold medal contest as a precaution, while Evan Molloy won bronze in the J2 -81kg division, battling his way through the repechage to secure a place on the podium after an opening-round defeat to the eventual silver medallist.

British shooters selected for World Championships

British shooting has selected four athletes to compete at the WSPS World Championships in Changwon this September.

Reigning world champion Matt Skelton, who won two silvers at the WSPS World Cup in Novi Sad in July, will be joined by Josh Wintersgill, Ryan Cockbill and Paralympic bronze medallist Tim Jeffrey. The World Championships will be the first opportunity for athletes to secure a quota place for LA 2028.

Dame Sarah Storey and Megan Shackleton announce retirements

ParalympicsGB’s most successful athlete of all time Dame Sarah Storey has announced her retirement from competitive sport.

During her glittering career she competed at an incredible nine Paralympics Games winning a total of 30 medals including 19 golds and eclipsing the previous record of 16 golds achieved by swimmer Mike Kenny.

Sarah was just 14 years old when she began her Paralympic career as a swimmer, competing at four Games: Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, picking up a combined total of five gold, eight silver and three bronze medals.

Following Athens, Sarah decided to make the switch to Para cycling, achieving incredible success on the track and road including winning four gold medals in front of an enthralled home crowd at London 2012.

Sarah recently worked as part of the presenting team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games for Channel 4 and with TNT in the coverage of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Two-time Paralympian Megan Shackleton has retired from Para table tennis after an incredible 13 years in the sport.

Megan won bronze at Tokyo 2020 in addition to World and European medals as well as seven ITTF singles titles.

The 27-year-old won the first of her six major medals at the European Para Championships in 2015, taking bronze in the women’s class 4-5 team event with Sue Bailey. The pair also won bronze in the World Team Championships in 2017 and European bronze again in 2019 before clinching a memorable team bronze medal at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Megan went on to win silver in the mixed doubles with Jack Hunter-Spivey at the European Championships in 2023 and again in 2025.