Australia's Cameron McEvoy smashes Commonwealth Games record in Men's 50m Freestyle Swimming at Glasgow 2026
On July 26, McEvoy put on an incredible display when he took home gold and broke a Commonwealth Games record on day 3 of the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow 2026
Everyone expected world-record holder Cameron McEvoy to put on a show on Day 3 of the Commonwealth Games, and he did not disappoint.
It was a huge day for Australia at Tollcross International Swimming Centre who dominated the medal podiums across nearly every category on the first day of swimming at Glasgow 2026, bringing in a total of five gold medals. The last time McEvoy was in Glasgow was for his first Commonwealth Games success back at Glasgow 2014, when he took home six medals including two relay gold.
Now 32-years-old, McEvoy returned to Glasgow in a bid to score his first individual Commonwealth title, in the 50m Freestyle, the discipline in which he is the reigning Olympic champion. He currently holds the world record in the classification with a time of 20.88, and he was just a shave off that time when he broke the Commonwealth Games record within five-hundredths-of-a-second off his own world's best time at 20.97.
He's done it!🥇🇦🇺
— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) July 26, 2026
After years of relay success, Cameron McEvoy is finally a Commonwealth Games individual champion, claiming his first individual gold in the Men's 50m Free with a time of 20.97 in Glasgow👏 pic.twitter.com/QbhzK2jr7U
This beats the previous Games record set by Benjamin Proud, 21.30, at Gold Coast 2018 by a third of a second. But perhaps even more impressively he was 0.47 seconds ahead of teammate Flynn Southam, who took silver, and Jamie Jack taking bronze completed the Australian clean sweep of the medal podium.
Cam McEvoy's triumph is a delight to see, especially considering his disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics which led to a break from the sport and his near departure from swimming all together. Thankfully he returned to win the gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and his performance at Glasgow 2026 proves that the 32-year-old still has a lot to give.