Commonwealth Games 2026, Day 4 medals, swimming outcomes: Australia win seven gold medals within the pool as Sam Williamson completes redemption

Sam Williamson had cause to shed tears on one other golden Glasgow morning for Australia within the pool on the Commonwealth Games and never simply because he had taken down a swimming legend to win the 50m breaststroke.

On an evening the place the “King” Kyle Chalmers set down a marker to his protege “Flying” Flynn Southam and Sam Short took one other step in the direction of Commonwealth Games immortality, the emotion displayed by Williamson was comprehensible.

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Williamson saved his finest for final because the Dolphins loved their most profitable day within the pool but at this meet when clinching seven gold medals, a workforce show former champion Johanna Griggs described as “absolutely mind-blowing”.

Just a yr after fearing he won’t stroll once more, not to mention win gold for Australia, the 28-year-old produced a magical last lap to reel in South African Michael Houlie and three-time Olympic gold medallist Adam Ramsey-Peatty.

A rarity among the many Dolphins in that he shuns the sunshine up north in place of coaching in Melbourne, the 2024 World Champion suffered a career-threatening knee damage when “he put his foot down in the wrong spot” a yr in the past in coaching.

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“I completely ruptured my patella tendon, tore it just from one side to the other of my kneecap and then also tore it completely off the (vastas medialis oblique),” he told the ABC in April.

“I was lying on my back clutching at my knee, but my kneecap was about halfway up my thigh.

“For me, it would have been a 48-hour period where I was concerned that swimming was completely out of the question. There was a genuine reality of, ‘Am I actually going to be able to do this again, let alone walk again?’”

Patched together by a broad group of specialists and trainers in Melbourne, the 28-year-old set his sights on starring for Australian again and has delivered with a glorious golden double after adding the 50m overnight to a triumph in the 100m.

To reel in Houthi in a race where the eight-time World Champion Peatty, who has held the world record since 2017, finished third, underlines the wonder of Williamson’s return.

“Just having the opportunity to put on the green and gold again was something that I didn’t think I’d ever have the opportunity to do,” he said.

“To come home with two of these little medals in my back pocket, it just makes it even more special.”

But it is not the only reason this race was emotion-charged. Scot Archie Goodburn trailed home the field in the race, but his bravery simply to feature moved many in the race at the Tollcross Centre.

Williamson has overcome a significant injury. Goodburn is swimming knowing that he cannot beat a rare and inoperable brain cancer called Oligodendrogliomas having been diagnosed with the tumour in 2024.

The life expectancy is usually 12 to 18 months but Goodburn, who underwent testing after feeling unwell during qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, has been able to defy expectations for now courtesy of a new treatment that has delayed chemotherapy.

“I’m disappointed with that final but I’m feeling extremely privileged and very fortunate and very blessed to have even had the chance to take part against such a competitive field,” he told The Sun while wiping away tears.

“I’m going to look back on this as a pretty incredible moment in my life, but right now I’m frustrated with the final outcome. The reception was monumental. That was next level.”

Short, meanwhile, is also demonstrating that disappointment can prove a driving force to greatness after winning the 800m freestyle by more than six seconds in a dominant display.

A distance specialist, he followed his triumph in the 400m with a superb swim to bring home an Aussie trifecta in the 800m, clocking 7:39:81 to beat home Benjamin Goedemans (7:46.49) and Matthew Galea (7:47.10) , but his meet is not yet complete.

A World Champion in 2023 in Fukuoka, the 22-year-old was considered a gold medal prospect in the Paris Olympics but injury and illness cooked his podium hopes.

But two years later he is demonstrating his world class credentials and will now target the 1500m in Glasgow in what would prove an astonishing feat if he can pull off the distance hattrick.

Meg Harris, meanwhile, sizzled to head home an all-Aussie blitz in the women’s 100m in an upset win over defending champion Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack, who announced her pending retirement leading into the Glasgow meet.

Harris, 24, who is a dual-Olympic 4 * 100m relay gold medallist, produced a brilliant swim of 52.9 seconds to clinch the crown.

O’Callaghan has been hampered by back soreness but bounced back brilliantly to anchor a team featuring distance queen Lani Pallister, Hannah Casey and Inez Miller to a 15 metre win in the 4 * 200m relay, giving the star her third Commonwealth Games medal for the week.

Australia also has a new Madame Butterfly in Alex Perkins, with the Queenslander celebrating her birthday in tremendous fashion by clinching a fourth gold medal for the games with a brilliant swim of 56.83 seconds in the 100m butterfly.

Perkins completed the double after her triumph in the 50m butterfly and was also a member of the successful 4 * 100m freestyle relay and 4 * 100m mixed freestyle relay teams.

Jenna Forrester, meanwhile, was delighted after clinching the 400m individual medley with her strength in the backstroke and freestyle legs a feature in clocking a time of 4:31.19, which is the world’s third fastest time in 2026 and 11th best of all time.

Beau Matthews, meanwhile, relegated his idol and Australia’s Opening Ceremony baton bearer Tim Hodge to third when winning the SB9 100m breaststroke with a daring swim.

Chalmers, who is seeking to defend his 100m freestyle crown won in dazzling fashion in Birmingham four years ago, posted the fastest time of 47.87 seconds in a semi-final, marginally quicker than the “flying” Flynn Southam, who clocked 48.08 seconds in the first semi to set the scene for what should be a fascinating final.

Meanwhile, Australia has a whopping 26 gold medals in total at the games, 18 more than England in second place.

Australia has 59 medals in total compared to 32 from England and 21 from Canada.