Raining champions: Scotstoun programe still delivers but tough for Scots

Tuesday 28th July 2026

Rainy Night in Glasgow. There were long spells on Tuesday night when it felt like the Commonwealth Games swimming had been switched from Tollcross to Scotstoun.

If it was splash and dash in the sprints – and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme somehow clocked 9.83 to win the final of the Men’s 100m for Scottish All-Comers Record – then conditions were awkward to say the least for athletes in field events.

Andy Butchart, Angela McAuslan-Kelly, Steven Stone and heptathlete Allie Routledge sought to make the best of it all but, in the end, you had to feel for them.

That men’s 100m final was truly remarkable – the fastest race ever seen in Scotland over the distance. A time of 9.91 did not make the podium.

Under all the circumstances, a Games Record in the Women’s Hammer by Canadian Camryn Rogers at 74.91 and the Women’s Hiugh Jump was also stunning.

Butchart battled away in the Men’s 10,000m but ultimately came home in 13th place. His time of 28:16.75 was only six seconds outside the Native Record held by the late Lachie Stewart from Edinburgh 1970.

‘I tried to control the race from the front and did that quite well for the first half of the race,’ said the Central AC double Olympian. ‘Then I covered some moves but when the big break came I couldn’t go with them.

‘It was a great experience out there representing Scotland and hearing the crowd. I would not have sat out in the open stand in that weather so well done to those spectators.’

Steven Stone competed in the T20 Long Jump.

The Law and District AAC athlete lined up alongside seven others in front of those sheltering in the North Stand.

Unfortunately, after a couple of fouls Steven retired from the comp with the difficult conditions clearly a factor in that decision.

In the Women’s Hammer, Angela found it tough and had to be content with one legal throw at 54.26m.

Distances were affected for some athletes and the Scot faced a high quality field in her first international big final. Angela finished in 11th place.

Allie Routledge closed out the opening day of the heptathlon with shot put and 200m. With three events to come on Wednesday, Allie was lying in 14th place.The heavy rain made conditions for athletes in all events. Allie threw 10.13m in the shot then came up with a strong run over 200m to finish fifth with PB run of 26.01 seconds.

Allie had competed twice earlier in the day.

The opening event was the 100m Hurdles and the Aberdeen AAC athlete, who studies in Colorado, clocked 14.20 seconds.

Allie followed that up with Season Best clearance in the high jump at 1.67m.

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The morning session had seen three athletes in track action as well as heptathlete Allie.

In the Women’s 400m, the seeding process saw a raft of athletes advanced to the semi-finals and 18 more places available from three races.

Nicole Yeargin was comfortably among those after her 52.44 run saw her finish in second place in heat two.

Nicole made no secret of some record-breaking ambitions for later in the week over one lap . . . and with Mixed Relay commitments, too.

Unfortunately, there was Scottish pain in the Men’s 800m and 400m thereafter as our athletes gave solid runs but each finished one place below the line for non-automatic qualifiers.

Jamie Phillips clocked 1:48.57 for fourth in the first race and his hopes weren’t dashed until the fifth placed athlete finished in the last heat.

It was a very similar story for Brodie Young. The Airdrie Harrier was third in 46.57 and, again, was squeezed out of a semi-final place.

Both Jamie and Brodie are competing at their first international event as Senior athletes and hopefully will learn from their experiences.