2026 Commonwealth Games Previews: Women’s Backstroke Occasions Large Open After McKeown’s Withdrawal

2026 Commonwealth Games

• July 24 – 29, 2026 (pool swimming)
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Tollcross International Swimming Centre
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Preview Index

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are per week away, and the ladies’s backstroke occasions are trying very totally different than anticipated. World Champion and world file holder Kaylee McKeown withdrew from the meet attributable to glandular fever, often known as mononucleosis. With her out of the meet, the ladies’s 100 and 200 backstroke occasions are vast open for a brand new champion.

By The Numbers – Women’s 50 Backstroke

• World Record – 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
• Commonwealth Record – 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
• Commonwealth Games Record – 27.31, Kylie Masse (CAN), 2022
• 2022 Commonwealth Champion – Kylie Masse (CAN), 27.31
• Returning Medalists: Gold – Kylie Masse (CAN), Silver – Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS)

The 50 backstroke is the one occasion the place the gold medalist is again in 2026. Canada’s Kylie Masse is without doubt one of the few athletes on the very small Canadian girls’s crew, and she or he shall be hoping to repeat her gold medal place from the 2022 Games.

Masse set the Commonwealth Games file at 27.31 en path to her gold medal efficiency. She has been sooner than that swim eight occasions, most not too long ago on the 2025 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale when she set a brand new private finest 27.13. Her season finest within the occasion stands at 27.35 from the Canadian Trials earlier this month, which ranks her tenth on the earth this yr.

The different returning medalist from 2022 is the silver medal winner Mollie O’Callaghan. She has not too long ago stepped away from swimming backstroke occasions internationally, however with the absence of McKeown she may step again right into a dash backstroke position. O’Callaghan has her personal challenges, nevertheless, revealing on Instagram that she is coping with a stress fracture in her again. This may affect whether or not she chooses to race the occasion or not. If she chooses to race, her finest time of 27.16 from 2024 and her season better of 27.19 from the Australian Trials will make her a severe risk.

In the 50 backstroke, there are a couple of different names to look at who may problem for medals. Australia has a couple of different athletes who may race the occasion for the Dolphins, and who may earn a medal.

Iona Anderson presently ranks ninth on the earth this season, and shall be one of many quickest seeded swimmers within the occasion on the Commonwealth Games. She swam 27.33 on the Australian Trials to complete third within the occasion to McKeown and O’Callaghan. Anderson’s swim was a brand new lifetime finest for her, taking two tenths off the 27.52 she swam in December of 2023.

The Aussies may also have Alexandria Perkins, who swam 27.64 on the New South Wales State Championships, and will contend for a finals spot or medal.

England can also be properly represented with Lauren Cox coming in beneath 28 seconds. Cox earned a spot within the ‘A’ remaining on the 2025 World Championships with a semifinals time of 27.26. So far this season, her finest time is available in at 27.39 from the GB Championships in April, which ranks thirteenth on the earth this season. Her lifetime better of 27.15 would make her a gold medal risk within the occasion.

South Africa’s Jessica Thompson and Olivia Nel have additionally been beneath 28 seconds over the last yr with Thompson swimming 27.67 on the SA National Youth Championships, a really sturdy medal contender, and Nel swimming 27.91 on the World University Games final summer season.

Madison Kryger has by no means been beneath 28 seconds, with a lifetime better of 28.27 from Canadian Trials, however she may earn her means into the ‘A’ remaining relying on the athletes round her.

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The Australians and Masse appear to have the rostrum locked on this occasion, although Cox may simply throw a wrench of their get together. The race may go both means between Masse and O’Callaghan if the Aussie swims it, however along with her entry within the occasion unclear, Masse earned the sting for gold.

By The Numbers – Women’s 100 Backstroke

The girls’s 100 backstroke is the place the absence of McKeown begins to be felt most strongly. There are nonetheless two returning medalists from 2022, however the occasion feels extra open for athletes with sturdy swims to maneuver up the rankings.

There are two 2022 medalists who shall be again this yr, beginning with silver medal winner Kylie Masse. In 2022, she swam 58.73 to complete a few tenth behind McKeown. So far this season, she has been 58.87, which ranks thirteenth on the earth this yr. Her lifetime finest stands at 57.70 from June of 2021. She has not been again beneath 58 seconds since May of 2024, when she swam 57.94. In Singapore, she swam 58.42 to complete 4th within the occasion.

Medi Harris, the 2022 bronze medalist, can also be returning for the meet. Harris has a season finest time of 1:01.79 from the GB Swimming Championships earlier this yr. Her lifetime finest is 59.24 from February of 2022, however she hasn’t been again beneath 1:00 since July of 2023. In February of 2024, she swam 1:00.28, which might put her in a greater spot to remaining, however probably retains her out of medal competition.

Iona Anderson is the highest swimmer on the earth this yr who shall be racing on the meet, coming in at 58.60, which she swam on the Australian Trials in June. This presently ranks eighth on the earth this season, however the seven athletes forward of her won’t be on the Commonwealth Games.

Anderson’s lifetime finest is 58.43 from the 2024 Australian Trials, which is properly beneath the 58.60 Commonwealth Games file set by McKeown 4 years in the past.

Directly behind Anderson within the rankings is O’Callaghan, however she in all probability received’t swim the occasion on the meet.

Canada’s Madison Kryger is one other potential contender, sitting at twenty third on the earth this yr with the 59.59 she swam on the Canadian Trials earlier this month, which was a brand new lifetime finest within the occasion.

She shall be battling England’s Lauren Cox for one of many podium spots. Cox has a season and lifelong better of 59.45 from March, which will certainly earn her a finals spot, although she is going to in all probability want a 58 if she desires to win.

Finally, Hannah Fredericks is the one different swimmer on the meet who has been beneath 1:00 this season.  At the 2026 Australian Trials, she swam 59.79, which was three tenths of her better of 59.44 from the 2024 Australian Trials. She shall be one other contender for the bronze medal.

Katie Shanahan (SCO) and Olivia Nel (RSA) are each coming in with lifetime finest occasions of 1:00, and shall be making an attempt to earn their means into the ultimate. Shanahan sits at a season better of 1:01.10 from the GB Championships in April. Her lifetime finest sits at 1:00.03 from April of 2025.

Nel, who trains with NC State, has the South African file at 1:00.33 from the 2025 World Championships in Singapore. Her season finest stands at 1:00.83 from the SA Nationals.

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By The Numbers – Women’s 200 Backstroke

Two of the three medalists from 2022 are again within the 200 backstroke, however it’s unclear if each of them will race the occasion.

Kylie Masse was the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist of the occasion in 2:05.57. She has not raced a 200 backstroke since that bronze medal swim, nevertheless, and it’s up within the air about whether or not she is going to race the occasion subsequent week.

Katie Shanahan is the opposite returning medalist, incomes the bronze in 2022. She is coming into the meet with a season finest of two:08.85 from June. Her lifetime finest stands at 2:07.45 from the 2023 World Championships, and she or he is virtually a lock for a top-eight end.

Scotland may also be represented by Holly McGill. Her lifetime finest stands at 2:08.20 from the 2025 GB Swimming Championships. At the World Championships in Singapore, she swam 2:09.51 to complete tenth within the semifinal. So far this season, she hasn’t been beneath 2:10, coming in at 2:11.18 from Scottish Nationals. She might want to discover her means again beneath 2:10 if she desires to earn a second swim.

While Masse is doubtlessly not swimming the occasion, Canada shall be leaning on Madison Kryger as their prime performer. She is coming in with a lifetime finest 2:08.17 from the Canadian Trials earlier this month. This ranks twelfth on the earth this season, and as one of many prime swimmers within the meet.

Just forward of Kryger are a pair of Australians, Iona Anderson and Hannah Fredericks.

Anderson swam 2:07.59 on the Australian Trials, a brand new finest time by two seconds within the occasion from the two:09.22 she swam on the 2024 Australian Trials. This ranks eighth on the earth this season, simply forward of fellow Aussie Fredericks, who sits tenth with the two:07.99 she swam on the Aussie Trials. This was additionally a brand new lifetime finest by three tenths from the two:08.25 she swam on the 2024 Australian Trials.

Australia can enter as much as three athletes in every occasion, and so they may flip to Jenna Forrester to take the ultimate spot within the occasion. She is coming into the meet with a 2:09.13 lifetime finest, which she additionally swam on the Australian Trials.

South Africa’s Hannah Pearse is one other potential finalist. She is coming into the meet with a lifetime finest of two:10.39 from the 2025 World University Games, and a season finest of two:10.92 from the South African Nationals in April.

There are a couple of different athletes who may remaining within the occasion in the event that they swim it reminiscent of England’s Freya Colbert, who has moved away from swimming the occasion internationally over the previous couple of years. She has a season finest of two:11.07 from the AP Race in London and a lifetime finest of two:08.73 from 2023.

Canada’s Ella Jansen has a lifetime and season finest of two:13.04 from April, and will squeak into the ultimate as properly relying on the performances of the opposite swimmers.

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