Who to watch in the Commonwealth Games and when are they competing?

Hannah Kate Costello

Of the 65 athletes competing for Northern Ireland at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, there are some familiar names, notably the two current Olympic champions: Rhys McClenaghan and Daniel Wiffen.

Pommel

Rhys McClenaghan made headlines across the globe when he won Olympic gold on the pommel horse in Paris 2024.

He won silver in Birmingham in 2022 and is determined to regain his gold title from 2018 in Glasgow this year.

McClenaghan missed the entirety of the 2025 season with a shoulder injury.

Artistic gymnastics will take place between July 24th and Monday, July 27th.

Swimming Women’s 4x100m

Victoria Catterson represented Ireland at the Paris Olympics, and the Belfast woman, 25, will now compete for Northern Ireland as part of the women’s relay team.

Women's 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 100m Backstroke, and 200m Backstroke

Grace Davison made headlines as the youngest member of Team Ireland at the Paris Olympics.

Now the 18-year-old is expected to compete in four different individual disciplines in Glasgow.

Swimming S14 200m Freestyle

Bethany Firth is back at the Games aiming to defend the S14 200m freestyle title she won in Birmingham.

The 30-year-old and six-time Paralympic gold medallist returned to competitive swimming last year following the birth of her daughter Charlotte.

Men's 400m Freestyle, 800m Freestyle, 1500m Freestyle

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen will hope to add the Commonwealth title to his decorated résumé.

The 800m Freestyle Olympic gold has a hat trick of gold medals in his sights at these games, also competing in the 400m and 1500m Freestyles.

The swimming and paraswimming can be watched on Friday with the finals on Wednesday, July 29th.

Heptathlon

School teacher Anna McCauley is a serious medal contender for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games.

Four years ago the 25-year-old finished sixth in Birmingham and will be hoping to improve on that impressive display in Glasgow.

This year she won the England Athletics Indoor title before becoming the first Irish woman to break the 6,000-point barrier whilst competing in Switzerland.

Kate O’Connor has won silver medals at the World Championships, World Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Even though O’Connor will be facing tough competition against the two-time champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson, she will be hoping to win gold for Northern Ireland.

Men’s Mile

James Gormley will run in the men’s mile at the Scotstoun Stadium.

At 28, Gormley is an experienced runner and earlier this year, he wore the green jersey at the World Indoor Championships in Poland.

The athletics and para athletics will take place between Monday and Saturday, August 1st.