Commonwealth Games 2026: Meet the Team NI athletes heading to Glasgow

Northern Ireland’s largest squad heading to the Games comes in swimming with 15 athletes going to Glasgow.

The headline name is Olympic 800m gold medallist Daniel Wiffen. The 24-year-old will compete in his second Commonwealth Games and will look to go one better than Birmingham four years ago when he won silver in the 1500m.

Wiffen, who also won bronze in the 1500m in Paris, will compete in 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle in Glasgow.

He will come up against good friend Jack McMillan in the 400m. The 26-year-old was part of Team GB’s relay team that claimed Olympic gold in Paris.

McMillan will compete in 100m, 200m and 400m Freestyle and potentially the men’s relay team in his second Games after he finished 11th in the 100m in Birmingham.

Danielle Hill returns for her fourth Games after making her Commonwealth debut as a 14-year-old in 2014.

The two-time Olympian was a 2024 European champion in the 50m Backstroke and will take part in the 50m and 100m Backstroke as well as the 50m Freestyle.

Ellie McCartney is preparing for her first Games after winning two gold medals and a bronze at the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games.

The 21-year-old will feature in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke and the 200m Individual Medley.

Conor Ferguson is back at the Games after reaching two finals in 2018. The 26-year-old, who made his Olympic debut in Paris, missed 2022 in Birmingham but returns for the 50m Backstroke in Glasgow.

Lotte Cullen is gearing up for a first Commonwealth Games where she will compete in the 100m and 200m Backstroke.

The 21-year-old who was born to an Irish father and a Malaysian mother, grew up in Ipoh, Malaysia, before moving to Northern Ireland at the age of 10.

Grace Davison has been selected for her second Games and will take part in the 100m and 200m Freestyle as well as the 100m and 200m Backstroke.

The 18-year-old won a gold and bronze medal at 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games and made her Olympic debut in 2024.

Northern Ireland will also be represented in four relays. The women’s 4x100m freestyle, the men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relays and the mixed 4x100m medley relay.

Adam Bradley, Matthew Hamilton, Paddy Johnston, Alana Burns Atkin, Victoria Catterson and Emily Hughes will be in line for selection and they will also compete in various individual events as well.

In para-swimming, six-time Paralympic gold medallist Bethany Firth is back at the Games aiming to defend her S14 200m Freestyle title that she won in Birmingham.

Barry McClements returns to the Games and will compete in the S9 100m Backstroke and S10 100m Fly.

The Newtonards man became the first swimmer to win a medal in the pool for Team NI in 2022 when he won bronze in the S9 100m Backstroke.