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Scroll down to see the full Commonwealth Games medal tally.
Glasgow: Australia won an absurd number of medals in the pool on night four of the Commonwealth Games.
The Dolphins claimed seven gold, three silver and five bronze to take their overall tally to a somewhat comical 23 victories over England’s four at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
But despite another Australian onslaught, the story of the night belonged to a low-profile, 25-year-old Scot who finished equal last in the men’s 100m breaststroke – a race won in thrilling fashion by Sam Williamson.
Archie Goodburn has terminal brain cancer. There is a very real chance he will not live beyond the age of 40.
For him to be swimming, let alone standing on the blocks in a major international final listening to the roar of an adoring home crowd, is a testament to his resilience and a fighting attitude that everyone who attended Monday evening’s program could only marvel at.
“I’m going to look back on this as an incredible moment in my life,” an emotional Goodburn told a handful of reporters as more prominent medal winners zipped in and out of a busy mixed zone.
“I’ve had a lot of tough months over the past few years. Every athlete talks about tough times, but there’s been some really tough times.
“This time last year, it was a dark spot.”
Goodburn’s life expectancy was slashed after receiving the news as a 22-year-old in 2024 that he had three “low grade” incurable brain tumours. He had just finished training and was sitting beside Edinburgh’s Commonwealth pool when he received the phone call that changed his life.
Doctors cannot operate because the tumours have spread throughout Goodburn’s brain. He suffered seizures and numbness down the left side of his body.
“There is an end point to my life and it’s much earlier than it should be,” Goodburn told the BBC.
The prospect of giving up swimming, his one true love, was inconceivable. Remarkably, Goodburn has become faster since his diagnosis, adamant that cancer will not defeat him.
There has also been encouraging news in recent months after Goodburn was granted access to Vorasidenib, a treatment he helped campaign for.
The drug has delayed the need for chemotherapy and allowed him to compete in Glasgow. Goodburn arrived hoping to win a medal, but seldom will you find a happier swimmer after finishing equal seventh.
The ovation he received from his home crowd was unlike anything else during the night, with Goodburn later describing it as “next level”.
But when asked how he manages to remain so positive, knowing his condition could deteriorate at any moment, he paused.
“It’s a really difficult question because this is just a snapshot,” Goodburn said. “This is the highlight of that massive crowd in front of me.”
He stopped for 10 seconds, his bottom lip quivering.
“Sorry. I want to find an answer for this.”
Another five seconds passed. Then came a big breath.
“I believe that my own advocacy can make a difference to my own life,” Goodburn said. “The best way I can do that is to be positive about the situation and positive for change.
“I also advocate for the future Archies. I swim for future Archies who want to succeed on an international level. But also young patients and people with brain cancer under the age of 40. Brain cancer is the biggest killer of all cancers for people under the age of 40 in the UK.
“Looking back on where I am now … I can’t say a big enough thank you. I’m feeling extremely privileged and very fortunate, very blessed to have even had the chance to take part.
“Long may that continue.”
Of the nine medal events on the swimming program on Tuesday, Australia won all but two. The Dolphins were always going to dominate the Commonwealth Games, but the regularity of victories has made it difficult for the casual fan to know what’s a good swim and what’s not quite world-class.
The biggest surprise came in the women’s 100m freestyle, where a sluggish Mollie O’Callaghan (53.25) settled for silver behind teammate Meg Harris (52.90), who produced arguably Australia’s swim of the night.
“It’s my first [win] in the individual 100m freestyle, so I couldn’t be happier with that result,” Harris said.
O’Callaghan appears at peace with the fact she is not swimming as well as she would like to due to a back injury. “Meg absolutely killed it tonight,” O’Callaghan said. “I’m just so happy to be here. After my 200 [freestyle], I didn’t feel like myself. You’ve got to adapt at the end of the day. Meg has killed it this year.”
Harrison Turner (1:55.38) claimed silver in the 200m butterfly but was left wondering what might have been after fading over the closing stages.
Jenna Forrester (4:31.19) was clinical in her 400m individual medley victory but is still a way off Canadian superstar and world record holder Summer McIntosh, while Alex Perkins (56.38) was too strong in the women’s 100m butterfly.
Williamson’s golden Commonwealth Games campaign rolled on when he stormed home to edge South Africa’s Michael Houlie and England’s Adam Ramsay-Peaty in the men’s 100m breaststroke.
Sam Short then underlined his class by cruising to the 800m freestyle title in 7:39.81, although the time was more than three seconds outside the personal best he swam at last month’s Australian trials. The icing on the cake was Australia’s red-hot 4x200m freestyle team, anchored by O’Callaghan, cruising to a 7.57 second win over England.
