Pathirage stuns Chopra, Hunter Bell shines as Dambile and Hodge sprint to 200m gold in Glasgow

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage delivered one of the standout performances of the 2026 Commonwealth Games athletics competition on Friday (31 July), producing a world-class throw to win the men's javelin title, while Georgia Hunter Bell captured the women's 800m crown and South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile and the British Virgin Islands' Adaejah Hodge claimed the 200m sprint titles.

The evening also featured a dramatic men's 10,000m race walk, a thrilling women's pole vault contest decided on countback, and fast 400m hurdles finals that added to another memorable session of athletics action in Glasgow.

Pathirage produced the performance of the night in the men's javelin, unleashing a superb 89.75m effort to secure the gold medal and comfortably defeat one of the strongest fields of the championships. India's Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra earned silver with a season's best 85.83m, while compatriot Yash Vir Singh celebrated a personal best 85.41m for bronze.

Hunter Bell continued her remarkable rise in middle-distance running by winning the women's 800m title in 1:59.51. The English athlete controlled the race over the closing stages to finish ahead of Kenya's Lilian Odira, who took silver in 2:00.58, while Australia's Sarah Billings edged the battle for bronze in 2:00.61.

The men's 200m final belonged to South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile, who dipped under the 20-second barrier with a winning time of 19.96. Nigeria's Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike claimed silver in a season's best 20.09, while Jamaica's Christopher Taylor ran a personal best 20.11 to complete the podium.

In the women's 200m, Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands powered to victory in 22.07, adding another major international title to her growing résumé. Trinidad and Tobago's Shaniqua Bascombe secured silver in 22.35, with Jamaica's Alana Reid taking bronze in 22.56.

Australia's Isaac Beacroft prevailed in one of the closest finishes of the championships to win the men's 10,000m race walk in a season's best 38:45.51, holding off Kenya's Stephen Ndangiri Kihu, who clocked a personal best 38:46.57. Canada's veteran Evan Dunfee completed the podium in 40:03.39.

The women's pole vault provided another thrilling contest as New Zealand's Eliza McCartney cleared 4.65m to win gold on countback over Australia's Nina Kennedy, who also cleared the winning height. Fellow New Zealander Imogen Ayris earned bronze with 4.55m, giving New Zealand two places on the podium.

Jamaica's Sanique Walker produced a personal best 54.00 to capture the women's 400m hurdles title. England's Emily Newnham followed just behind for silver in 54.04, while Canada's Savannah Sutherland claimed bronze with a season's best 54.16.

Nigeria also celebrated victory in the men's 400m hurdles through Ezekiel Nathaniel, whose 48.47 performance earned gold ahead of England's Jake Minshull (48.99) and Jamaica's Assinie Wilson (49.22).

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