Despite torrential rain on the second night of athletics at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme and New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs emerged as the fastest athletes in the Commonwealth. The evening also featured Australia’s dominance in the women’s high jump. And there was Ky Robinson’s commanding victory in the men’s 10,000m, and another medal for Australia in the women’s hammer throw as challenging weather tested athletes across every event.
Eseme clocked a Commonwealth Games record of 9.83 seconds despite rainy conditions. The 30-year-old also set a new Cameroon national record, holding off Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, whose 9.85 earned silver while breaking the Australian record and setting a new personal best.
Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi earned bronze in 9.90, completing one of the fastest Commonwealth Games finals ever. Kennedy became the first Australian in more than six decades to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s 100m.
Top three
Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) – 9.83 (Commonwealth Games Record, National Record)
Lachlan Kennedy (Australia) – 9.85 (Australian Record, Personal Best)
Kayinsola Ajayi (Nigeria) – 9.90
Women’s 100m
New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs had a terrific run to capture the women’s 100m gold medal in a personal best 10.93 seconds, handling the difficult conditions like the champion that she is.
England’s Amy Hunt recovered from a poor start and claimed silver in 10.98. Australia’s Torrie Lewis finished third in 10.99, becoming the first Australian woman to break the 11-second barrier, thereby setting a new national record. Athletes later described standing water around the starting blocks as heavy rain continued throughout the evening.
Top three
Zoe Hobbs (New Zealand) – 10.93 PB
Amy Hunt (England) – 10.98
Torrie Lewis (Australia) – 10.99 NR
Men’s 10,000m
Australia’s Ky Robinson was in control during the business end of the men’s 10,000 metres to take gold after a patient tactical race.
India’s Gulveer Singh earned silver in 27:49.78 with another impressive championship performance, while David Mullarkey (27:50.28) of the Isle of Man claimed bronze to win his nation’s first-ever Commonwealth Games athletics track medal. Robinson’s victory capped one of Australia’s most successful evenings on the track.
Top three
Ky Robinson (Australia) – 27:48.93
Gulveer Singh (India) – 27:49.78
David Mullarkey (Isle of Man) 27:50.28
Women’s high jump
Olympic medallist Eleanor Patterson successfully defended her Commonwealth Games title by clearing 1.94m in a rain-drenched women’s high jump final.
Australians rounded out the podium as Yual Reath added silver, while England’s Morgan Lake secured bronze. The slippery runway made consistent jumping difficult throughout the competition, but Patterson once again proved her ability to deliver on the biggest stage.
Top three
Eleanor Patterson (Australia) – 1.94m
Yual Reath (Australia) – 1.93
Morgan Lake (England) – 1.90
Women’s hammer throw
The rain affected the women’s hammer throw too, but Canadian Janee’ Kassanavoid had a dominant performance, launching the hammer 74.91m to set a new Commonwealth Games record and took the gold. Nigeria’s Annette Echikunwoke earned silver with a 69.82m toss. Australia’s Stephanie Ratcliffe earned bronze by tossing to 68.05m.
Top three
Janee Kassanavoid (Canada) – 74.91 Games Record
Annette Echikunwoke (Nigeria) – 69.82
Stephanie Ratcliffe (Australia) – 68.05
Kenya sweeps steeplechase
Kenya swept the men’s 3000m steeplechase to capture the nation’s first gold medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Monday.
Olympian and teenager Edmund Serem raced to victory, clocking an 8:18.23. Serem celebrated the win with a mask celebration as he crossed the line.
The victory served as redemption for the young athlete, who edged out 22-year-old Simon Koech (8:18.59) to turn the tables after losing to Koech at the Kenyan national trials in Nairobi back in June.
Koech took silver, while Leonard Kipkemoi Bett completed the all-Kenyan podium sweep by taking bronze in 8:21.63. The race was dictated by Kenya from the second lap, as the trio ran aggressively at the front.
