2025’s MEGA Commonwealth Sporting Moments – In Review

The 23^rd edition of the multi-sport event will take place between 23 July and 2 August with around 3,000 athletes set to battle it out for 215 gold medals across 10 sports.

Ahead of the ‘Commonwealth year’ we decided to take a look back at some of 2025’s standout sporting successes by those who herald from Commonwealth Games Associations and aim to push for the podium come Glasgow 2026.

NETBALL – WORLDWIDE – THROUGHOUT 2025

South Africa landed one of the biggest titles in the sport during 2025, by capturing the African Netball Cup gold following a thrilling 37-32 victory over Malawi.

World number one side – and Birmingham 2022 gold medallists – Australia, completed a clean sweep series win against South Africa themselves, before defeating New Zealand in the annual Constellation Cup.

Commonwealth bronze medallists New Zealand impressively claimed a tour victory over England to attain the ‘Vitality Netball International Series’ title.

England would though end their year by winning the Horizon Series, following two victories over Jamaica. The games also helped raised funds for those impacted by Hurricane Melissa in late October.

WORLD JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE

2025 was not a standout year for Commonwealth judoka on the major international scene, but there was cause for celebration at least in Canada.

Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard, who won -63kg gold at Birmingham 2022, attained the second World honour of her career with silver, matching her previous best in 2022.

England will likely again be among the strongest performers come Glasgow 2026 and there is excitement within the team about the potential of rising star Irakli Goginashvili, who attained historic European junior gold and World junior bronze medals in 2025.

3x3 BASKETBALL WORLD CUP – ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA – JUNE

Canada looks well-placed for a successful defence of the crown they impressively claimed ahead of hosts England at Birmingham 2022 where 3x3 Basketball made its Commonwealth bow.

They won the Shanghai World Series, attained AmericCup silver and claimed bronze at the FIBA 3x3 Basketball World Cup; while Great Britain, comprised of England players, surprisingly failed to progress beyond the group phase of the Europe Cup event. Australia won both the men’s and women’s Asia Cup titles in March.

WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – SINGAPORE – JULY-AUGUST

Australian swimming success is something of a given at Commonwealth Games, with the nation having claimed more medals than any other and by some distance.

To date they have attained 798 (330 gold), with their nearest rivals England amassing 409 (113 gold) and that lead is likely to extend further come Glasgow 2026 based on a series of outstanding performances at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.

Olympic champion Cameron McEvoy retained the 50m Freestyle World crown, while fellow multiple Commonwealth medallists Kyle Chalmers also impressed across individual and relay events.

Their women’s team may now lack retired legendary figure Ariarne Titmus, but they still possess enviable talent across the board, with Meg Harris (50m Freestyle), Mollie O’Callaghan (200m Freestyle) and Kaylee McKeown (100m / 200m Backstroke) all claiming golds.

Fellow Commonwealth medallists Lani Pallister, Elizabeth Dekkers and Alexandria Perkins are also key ones-to-watch for Australia; while Pieter Coetze of South Africa, who won Backstroke gold and silver medals, looks set to be his nation’s next swimming superstar.

Great Britain’s Men’s 4x200m freestyle team was interesting comprised of athletes from each of the four home nations; Duncan Scott (Scotland), James Guy (England), Matt Richards (Wales) and Jack McMillan (Northern Ireland).

They will be expected to go head-to-head for their respective teams come the men’s 200m freestyle event at Glasgow 2026.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL 3x3 OPEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA – AUGUST

Canada claimed victories in both the women’s and men’s events at the first-ever edition of the competition which provided several Commonwealth Games Association teams with the opportunity to take on the best players from across the planet, ahead of Glasgow 2026.

The Canadian women won the inaugural 3x3 title at Birmingham 2022, with Australia second and the two nations could again battle it out for the top honours with the 2018 Commonwealth Games hosts placing third in South Africa.

WORLD BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS – LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – September

India, who will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, again showed why they are likely to be one of the strongest boxing nations with a series of impressive performances.

While many boxers will turn professional following major amateur successes, the performances at the World Championships in a year following an Olympics is a good indicator for who is likely to be in contention for the next edition of the Commonwealth Games.

As such, keep an eye out for Jaismine Lamboria, a lightweight bronze medallist at Birmingham 2022, who is now a World champion and targeting more success next year.

World medallists Estea Flint (Australia), Minakshi Hooda (India), Emma-Sue Greentree (Australia), Viktoria Penney (Canada), Chantelle Reid (England), Odel Kamara (England), Callum Makin (England) and Teagan Stott (England) are also ones-to-watch.

Michaela Walsh of Northern Ireland, who appeared in the first edition of the Commonwealth Games to feature women’s boxing – Glasgow 2014 – has won two silver medals and a gold across her three Games experiences to date.

She has confirmed a plan to defend her title in the Scottish city next year before turning pro.

WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER

Athletes from across the Commonwealth certainly showed their talent in Tokyo, delivering a series of subline performances and there were in fact so many successes, we produced a full-round up here.

It is though worth mentioning a few specific achievements though, with Oblique Seville becoming the first Jamaican man to win the 100m title since Usain Bolt in 2015.

Kenya meanwhile, controlled the middle-distance events on the women’s side, winning gold in 800m, 1500m, 5,000m, 10,000m and 3,000m steeplechase. Those victories included double title successes for Faith Kipyeong and Beatrice Chebet.

High jumper Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, Canadian Hammer thrower Camryn Rogers, javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand High jumper Hamish Kerr all claiming individual titles.

WORLD PARA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS – SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER

Great Britain is the world’s leading nation when it comes to unearthing and developing S14 swimming talent and it would be a significant shock were their athletes – namely Poppy Maskill and William Ellard, representing England not to back up their recent World and Paralympic successes.

Alice Tai, also of England, has emerged as a multi-event major medallist over the last 18 months as an S8 swimmer. Although her preferred category is not included in the line-up for Glasgow 2026, she could ‘swim up’ in the S9 category and likely still be competitive.

The women’s S9 100m Freestyle is though stacked with Commonwealth talent, with Alexa Leary (Australia) and Mary Jibb (Canada) among two strong contenders.

One of Scotland’s leading gold medal prospects is likely to be Paralympic champion Faye Rogers, who will have the opportunity to race the SM10 individual medley discipline, in which she claimed World silver at Singapore 2025.

WORLD PARA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – NEW DELHI, INDIA – SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallists Thomas Young of England, claimed bronze in the T38 100m final in India and will likely enter Glasgow 2026 as the highest-ranked Commonwealth athlete.

As will England’s defending Commonwealth T54 1500m champion Nathan Maguire who also placed third at the World Championships in 2025.

The battle between Trinidad and Tobago discus throwing star Akeem Stewart and England’s Glasgow 2014 gold medallist Dan Greaves, who placed second and third respectively in India, could be one of the best duals of the Games.

Malaysia’s legendary double Paralympic gold medallist Abdul Latif Romly will be seeking a maiden Commonwealth crown in the T20 Long Jump, after adding the fifth World title to his collection during a high-class performance in New Delhi.

Melanie Woods, who was fourth in the 1500m at Birmingham 2022, but is now expected to be one of Scotland’s strongest Para Athletics medal contenders come Glasgow 2026, after claiming two World bronze medals.

WORLD WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS – FØRDE, NORWAY – OCTOBER

Two-time Olympic medallist, reigning Commonwealth champion and Glasgow 2026 Athlete Ambassador Emily Campbell (England) was unlucky to suffer a knee injury ahead of the Worlds, in which she still impressively managed to finish fourth.

She will be the favourite for gold in the Heavyweight division in Scotland, but there are plenty of other established stars as well as emerging talents within the sport.

Fellow Birmingham 2022 gold medallist Maude Charron, who also won the 63kg title at Gold Coast 2018, has extended her career to take in another edition of the Commonwealth Games and the Canadian will head to Glasgow off the back of her best-ever World performance.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion placed second at Paris 2024 and was again the runner-up in Norway. “Going to the Commonwealth Games was already a goal for me even before Paris,” hse said. “I’m very much looking forward to visiting more of Scotland.”

Mirabai Chanu (India), Rafiatu Lawal (Nigeria), Eileen Cikamatana (Australia) were three other aspiring Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games athletes to place on the World podium in 2025.

WORLD PARA POWERLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS – CAIRO, EGYPT – OCTOBER

Two-time Paralympic champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo of Nigeria, who won women’s Heavyweight gold at Birmingham 2022, secured the fourth World title of her career with victory in the +86kg division.

Another double Paralympic champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Bonnie Bunyau Gustin of Malaysia, also matched that achievement with a fourth successive World crown. His latest success coming in the men’s 72kg class.

WORLD PARA TRACK CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS – RIO, BRAZIL – OCTOBER

James Ball of Wales signalled his intent to defend his Tandem B Sprint title from Birmingham 2022 with another standout performance at the World Championships, although Kane Perris of Australia, who placed second, is emerging as a strong contender.

The pair would also finish in the same respective first and second positions in the Tandem B 1km Time Trial event, which will be contested at Glasgow 2026.

Elizabeth Jordan and her pilot Danielle Khan were equally dominant in the women’s Tandem B contests and will likely be further strong medal contenders for England at Glasgow 2026.

Australia do have several leading contenders themselves too though, with Tara Neyland, and legendary para cyclist Jessica Gallagher likely to be among their line-up once more.

WORLD TRACK CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS – SANTIAGO, CHILE – OCTOBER

Three-time Olympic medallist Matthew Richardson, who won two golds for Australia at Birmingham 2022, before swapping to represent Great Britain, is likely to be one of the most watched athletes come Glasgow 2026 following that controversial switch.

He claimed his first honours – two silver medals – for GB at the 2025 Worlds and is likely to be one of England’s leading contenders next year.

Leigh Hoffman, who was part of Australia’s Team Sprint success at Birmingham 2022, will look to fill the individual void left by Richardson in the Aussie squad, after claiming three honours in Santiago.

Josh Charlton (England), Josh Tarling (Wales), Anna Morris (Wales) all look very strong contenders for the home nations, although their leading names will likely be the Olympic champions Emma Finucane (Wales) and Scottish legend Katie Archibald.

New Zealand cyclists also attained a host of World medals, with Campbell Stewart, Prudence Fowler, Bryony Botha and Ellesse Andrews among their top performers.

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – JAKARTA, INDONESIA – OCTOBER

England’s Jake Jarman shot to fame with a stunning haul of four gold medals at Birmingham 2022 with two World titles, as well as Olympic bronze following over the last few years.

The Glasgow 2026 Athlete Ambassador took the floor title in Jakarta, but is likely to be a multi-major-medal contender again in Scotland, as is team-mate Luke Whitehouse and established star Joe Fraser.

For Wales, Abi Martin will likely be leading name within their squad, with the two-time European medallist securing her maiden individual World honour, with Floor silver, in 2025.

Teenage talent Lia Monica Fontaine is also another exciting emerging star, with the 16-year-old Canadian landing World Vault silver, ahead of what is expected to be a Commonwealth debut in 2026.

Injury struggles may have impacted multiple Commonwealth medal-winning gymnast Marios Georgiou from attaining further World honours in October, but the he attained a historic European All-Around title for Cyprus in 2024 and has vowed to return to the top again.

BOWLS WORLD CUP – KUALA LUMPUR – NOVEMBER

Malaysia topped the overall medal standings in the event which is the sport’s highest-ranking competition outside of the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Emma Firyana Binti Saroji was the host’s hero in the women’s singles, taking gold while tea-mate Nurul Alyani Binti Jamil was a bronze medallist.

There was plenty for other Commonwealth Games Associations to celebrate as well, with Australia ranking second and their leading Para Bowls athlete James Reynolds becoming the only player, out of a field of 72, to win double gold.