- Australian Glasgow 2014 gold medallist Angie Ballard will make history upon her return to Scotland by becoming the first para athlete to compete at five Commonwealth Games.
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 12.05.2026) :: The 43-year-old made her debut at Melbourne 2006 in her homeland and has won three Commonwealth honours during her career. Ballard is one of the best-known wheelchair racers on the planet, having won more than 20 major honours and competed at seven Paralympic Games.
“To still be competing at this level after so many years means a great deal to me,” said Ballard, who claimed silver medals at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
“Each Commonwealth Games has its own challenges and memories and I’m looking forward to embracing the opportunity in Glasgow and giving everything I have for the team once again.”
Ballard will be part of a 24-strong Australian Para Athletics line-up at Glasgow 2026, with the latest news forming the second of three phases of selection planned by Commonwealth Games Australia.
The first, in the middle of April, saw 11 athletes, headlined by reigning Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion Nina Kennedy, announced as part of the squad.
Three-time World Championships medallist Rhiannon Clarke is aiming to become a three-time Commonwealth medal-winner, having claimed silver and bronze across the last two editions.
“Going into Glasgow, the goal is simple. I want to go out there, give it my all and turn my silver and bronze into two golds,” Clarke said.
“I’m proud of my previous medal winning performances, but I know I still have more to give.”
Among the other leading names announced in the squad are Jaydon Page, who says that winning silver at Birmingham 2022 has given him the “drive to push even harder” this summer and “make the most” of the opportunity to turn out in the ‘green and gold’ of Australia.
Other athletes with previous Commonwealth Games experience include Eliza Ault-Connell, Samuel Carter, Julie Charlton, Ella Pardy and Samuel Rizzo.
14-year-old Lexie Brown, who made headlines at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships where she claimed a relay bronze, has achieved another landmark in her young career by gaining selection for a maiden Commonwealth Games.
The sprinter, who is one of 16 debutants, will contest the 100m T47 event, is regarded as one of the most promising young athletes in Australian Athletics’ Para programme.
“I’m really proud to be selected for my first Commonwealth Games,” Brown said.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to learn, race against the best and continue building my experience on the international stage. I’m excited for what’s ahead in Glasgow.”
Australian Team Chef de Mission Petria Thomas OAM OLY said she was delighted to reveal the line-up, which she insists consists of “resilient, determined and world-class” athletes.
“The continued integration of Para sport events into the Commonwealth Games programme reflects how far we’ve come since the inclusion of Para exhibition events in three sports at the Victoria 1994 Games,” said Thomas, who herself won two swimming gold medals at those Games.
“This integration is truly unique in world sport, and our Para Athletics team is ready to embrace that stage and inspire audiences both at home and around the globe.”
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from 23 July to 2 August, with the Athletics and Para Athletics disciplines taking place from 27 July to 1 August.
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