Australia’s Para athletes have continued their impressive Commonwealth Games, collecting a gold, silver and bronze medal across Para swimming and Para athletics while both wheelchair 3×3 basketball teams advanced to the semi-finals.
The day’s standout performance came from rising Para swimming star Beau Matthews, who claimed gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 with an emphatic victory.
Matthews clocked 1:09.41 to finish comfortably ahead of New Zealand’s Joshua Willmer (1:11.44), converting an outstanding 2026 season into the biggest international victory of his career.
Australia celebrated a second podium finish in the event, with flag bearer Tim Hodge securing bronze in 1:12.74 after holding off Canada’s Jack Gill by just five hundredths of a second.
Alyssa Gillespie and 16-year-old Gemma Sellick also impressed, progressing through the morning heats before finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8 final.
For Paralympian and Channel 7 commentator Annie Williams, the performances reflected more than Australia’s results.
Watching Sellick embrace her Commonwealth Games debut, Williams said, was a reminder of how far the Paralympic Movement had come.
“When I was a junior swimmer coming through the ranks, we had to swim in the ad breaks. Our events weren’t broadcast for many, many years,” Williams said.
“What I was feeling was absolute delight for these two women getting the recognition they absolutely deserve on this unbelievable stage.”
Para athletics also opened in style at Scotstoun Stadium, where Ullrich Muller produced the performance of his career to claim silver in the men’s 100m T38.
The emerging Australian sprinter crossed in 11.19 seconds to secure his first major international medal, continuing a breakthrough season that has established him among the world’s leading athletes in the class.
“I’m thrilled,” Muller said.
“That’s my best race yet. I couldn’t imagine a better race. I was racing against my biggest competitor and almost won the gold, but I’m very happy to win the silver.”
Fifteen-year-old Thomas McGough also delivered an outstanding performance in his Commonwealth Games debut, finishing fourth in 11.74 seconds against a world class field.
Australia was strongly represented in the women’s T38 100m final, with Rhiannon Clarke finishing fourth, Ella Pardy fifth and Briseis Brittain sixth.
Brittain, who hails from the remote Arnhem Land community of Ramingining, reflected on the encouragement she once received from Australian sporting legend Cathy Freeman.
“She told me to keep it up, never give up and believe in myself,” Brittain said.
“I’ll never forget that moment. I just want to make my family proud, my culture and Cathy Freeman proud.”
Elsewhere, Archer Hewett narrowly missed the podium with fourth place in the men’s 1500m T20, while Daniel Milone finished eighth. Julie Charlton and Ainsley Hooker placed seventh and eighth respectively in the women’s shot put F57.
Australia’s wheelchair 3×3 basketball teams also maintained their medal ambitions, with both sides defeating Canada to finish second in their respective pools and progress to the semi-finals.
The men’s team recorded a convincing 20-12 victory, while the women prevailed 12-10 in overtime and will now face Wales and Nigeria respectively.
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