"The Australian athletics team embodies everything we want from this Commonwealth Games campaign, world-class performers, rising stars and athletes who continue to deliver on the biggest stages."
— Petria Thomas, Glasgow 2026 Chef de Mission
Rising Star Kennedy Headlines Athletics Team
Lachlan Kennedy, 22, will make his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow, competing in both the 100m and 200m. The Australian national champion in the 100m made history as the first athlete to break the 10-second barrier on home soil.
Kennedy initially did not contest the 200m at the Australian Athletics Championships in April, but added the event after national 200m record holder Gout Gout opted to miss the Games to focus on the Under-20 world championships.
Australia's first 11 track and field athletes were selected based on the national championships, with the full 86-person team now finalized.
Men's 100m Selection
The men's 100m team features Kennedy alongside Rohan Browning and Eddie Nketia. Browning brings extensive experience, having competed at the past two Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
Nketia, who changed allegiance from New Zealand in December, will represent Australia for the first time. He has run sub-10 seconds with illegal tailwinds in NCAA competition.
Josh Azzopardi, who finished second in the 100m at the national championships and won the Oceania Championships in May, was not selected for the individual 100m. He will instead travel as a 4x100m relay specialist, along with Chris Ius.
Women's Middle-Distance Strategy
In the women's 800m, only Sarah Billings was selected, as Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth chose to prioritize the mile (1600m). Hayley Kitching was not selected despite recording comparable times.
The mile team features Hollingsworth, Caldwell, and Jess Hull. Hull will also compete in the 5000m alongside Linden Hall and Rose Davies.