The Commonwealth’s finest swimmers are set to showcase their dynamic strength, speed, and technique as they make a splash at Glasgow 2026.

Swimming and Para Swimming sees events in four swimming styles – freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke, together with medley events which include all four strokes to really test a swimmer’s versatility.

With distances ranging from a 50m sprint to a lung busting 1500m, the variety of events will showcase the talent, skills and strengths of every athlete in the pool, each vying to claim a place on the podium.

As well as individual races, in Swimming and Para Swimming spectators will be able to marvel at the relay events, where tactics, takeovers and teamwork are all important as four swimmers work together to outswim their opponents.

Swimming and Para Swimming at the Commonwealth Games takes place in a long-course 50m pool – double the length you might find in typical leisure pool, and often referred to as ‘Olympic size’. For most events, heats will take place first, with the fastest swimmers or relay teams proceeding to semi-finals and finals.

The rules are simple: Swim faster than everyone else – the first to touch the wall wins.

Previous Commonwealth Games Appearances
Swimming must be included at every Commonwealth Games and has been on the programme since debuting at the inaugural event in Hamilton in 1930. Manchester 2002 saw the debut of Para Swimming with the program expanding to 12 medal events at recent games

Flying to Records
The butterfly stroke used to be considered only a legitimate variation of breaststroke. In 1938, English swimmer John G Davies won the 220 yards Breaststroke in a new Games record using what was later to become known as the butterfly. As a result, that record stood for 20 years!