Kenya’s Faith Cherotich ran one of the most noteworthy performances of 2026 during Day 6 of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. She broke the Games record in the 3000m steeplechase. The evening also saw Northern Ireland’s Katherine O’Connor capture heptathlon gold with a season’s best score. It was Northern Ireland’s first gold in 40 years. Canada’s Sarah Mitton successfully defended her shot put title. Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle soared to victory in a thrilling men’s long jump final.
Cherotich smashes Games record in steeplechase
Faith Cherotich owned the field in the 3000m steeplechase, clocking a Games record 9:01.76 to earn another Kenyan gold medal. The 22-year-old gradually pulled away from the field before finishing well ahead of the field.
England’s Elise Thorner clocked a new personal best of 9:05.45 to take silver after overtaking Uganda’s Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai in the late stages of the race. Chemutai finished in a time of 9:09.96.
Cherotich set her personal best last July at the Prefontaine Classic during the Diamond League, recording an 8:48.71 performance. She is the Paris Olympic bronze medallist and has picked up World Championships bronze and gold medals in the event in Tokyo 2025 and Budapest 2023, respectively.
Top three
- Faith Cherotich (Kenya) – 9:01.76 (GR)
- Elise Thorner (England) – 9:05.45 (PB)
- Peruth Chemutai (Uganda) – 9:09.96
Women’s heptathlon
Northern Ireland’s O’Connor won the heptathlon with a season’s best performance of 6,569 points. She took control early in the competition and maintained her lead throughout. During the final 800m race, she won comfortably to earn gold.
England’s Jade O’Dowda took silver with 6,278 points. Australia’s Tori West rounded out the podium with 6,104 points.
Top three
- Katherine O’Connor (Northern Ireland) – 6,569 pts (SB)
- Jade O’Dowda (England) – 6,278 pts
- Tori West (Australia) – 6,104 pts
Mitton defends shot put title
Canada’s Sarah Mitton proved again to be the class of the event when she successfully defended her Commonwealth Games shot put title with a dominating mark of 19.88m. Mitton was the only athlete to surpass 19 metres, securing a comfortable victory.
Nigeria’s Jessica Oji and Jamaica’s Lloydricia Cameron both threw 17.87m. Oji earned silver thanks to the longer second-best throw, with Cameron taking bronze.
Mitton owns a best of 20.68m from 2024, which is the national record. She earned gold during the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, putting a 19.03m shot. She earned a silver medal at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships.
Top three
- Sarah Mitton (Canada) – 19.88m
- Jessica Oji (Nigeria) – 17.87m
- Lloydricia Cameron (Jamaica) – 17.87m
Gayle flies to long jump gold
Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle landed the best jump at the business end of the competition. He leapt to 8.15m in the fourth round to capture the men’s long jump gold medal.
India’s Murali Sreeshankar earned silver, jumping to 8.09m. He led the competition through the early rounds.
Scotland’s Stephen Mackenzie was buoyed by the home crowd to win the bronze with 8.08m, just one centimetre behind the Indian in one of the closest field event contests of the championships.
Top three
- Tajay Gayle (Jamaica) – 8.15m
- Murali Sreeshankar (India) – 8.09m
- Stephen Mackenzie (Scotland) – 8.08m
