By Andrew Reid

The Australian Athletics Team is stacked with established and emerging stars across the Athletics and Para Athletics program. Track athletes are often the talk of the town; however, it is in field events where more Australians are leading the world rankings, have titles to defend, and have the opportunity to rewrite history at these Games.

Ones to Watch

Australia

Pole vaulters Nina Kennedy and Kurtis Marschall, Matthew Denny in the discus and high jumper Nicola Olyslagers are all on top of the world rankings, which confirms they come into the Games in great form. 

Marschall is aiming to be the first Australian field athlete, and male in any event, to win three consecutive Commonwealth titles. Olympic champion Kennedy and World Champion medallist Denny are also defending Commonwealth champions.

Glasgow 2014 champion and former World Champion Eleanor Patterson is ranked second behind Olyslagers. 

Australian long jump record holder Brooke Buschkuehl, who became a mum to Bobby only 12 months ago, is determined to turn her two Commonwealth silvers into gold. She has been in great form but almost got beaten at Nationals by 19-year-old sensation Delta Amidzovski. Coached by her mum Becky, she has jumped 6.84m this year and could cause an upset on Games debut. 

Mackenzie Little won javelin silver at Birmingham and is a World Championships bronze medallist. Lianna Davidson will provide a strong challenge for her Australian teammate. 

Layla Sharp (long jump T38) has only been focusing on long jump for eight months, and the Australian Record Holder (4.86m) for her class is aiming to surpass five metres in Glasgow, which would put the 18-year-old right in gold medal contention.

International

Morgan Lake (ENG) has cleared two metres in the high jump, as the main challenger to Olyslagers and Patterson.

Kiwi pole vaulters Eliza McArtney (NZL) has a lifetime best of 4.94m and a season best of 4.81m, and Imogen Ayris (NZL) has also cleared 4.81m this year. Kennedy will need to be on her game to claim the gold.  

In the women’s long jump, Jasmin Sawyers (ENG) and Akelia Smith (JAM) have both  jumped over 6.8 metres this year and seven metres in their careers. They are the big threats to the Australians.

Samoa’s discus giant Alex Rose got the better of Matt Denny in the pouring rain at the 2025 World Championships and is in great form with a season’s best of 70.43 metres.

India’s Olympic and World Champion in the Javelin Neeraj Chopra won gold at Gold Coast 2018 and is looking for another Commonwealth Games crown.

Sport Format

The format for the majority of Athletics field events is for a qualification round and then the Final. Twelve athletes will normally compete in the final of all Field events. In horizontal jumps and throws, the competing order for the fourth and fifth rounds of trials shall be in the reverse ranking order recorded after the first three rounds of trials and the final round in reverse order of the first five rounds of competition.

The following women’s events will not have a qualification round: high jump, javelin, discus, shot put, triple jump and pole vault.

The following men’s events will not have a qualification round: high jump, hammer throw, discus and pole vault.

Para-Athletics field events will be straight finals. 

The heptathlon includes seven events over two days and the decathlon is 10 events over two days. Australia has two representatives in the heptathlon – 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, (day 2) long jump, javelin and 800m. 

Competition Schedule

Athletics and Para Athletics competition runs from Monday 27 July to Saturday 1 August at Scotstoun Stadium, across 12 sessions and 59 medal events – 29 male, 29 female and 1 mixed relay. Australia will be represented in 17 of the 24 field and multi events at Scotstoun Stadium.

Fast Facts

• There are three defending champions from Birmingham 2022 in field events – Nina Kennedy (Pole Vault), Matthew Denny (Discus Throw) and Kurtis Marschall (Pole Vault). 
• Eleanor Patterson is one of only three athletics team members returning from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Track athletes Michelle Jenneke and Ella Pardy are the others.
• Lexie Brown and Layla Sharp are Indigenous field athletes, and part of a record five on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Athletics Team, along with track athletes Briseis Brittain, Calab Law and Thomas McGough. 
• Australia has only ever lost the Women’s Pole Vault once at the Commonwealth Games and will be represented by flag bearer Nina Kennedy in Glasgow.