Records tumble, sprinters star – and the rest. This was Australia’s greatest ever night in athletics

July 29, 2026 — 8:46am

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Glasgow: Australia has spoken of its new golden age of athletics. This was its golden night.

Sport is vulnerable to hyperbole, but it is not hyperbolic to say Tuesday night at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was possibly the greatest Australia has ever had in track and field.

Certainly it was in sprinting. And it was certainly the best night of athletics you probably slept through.

Lachlan Kennedy broke not only 10 seconds in the men’s 100 metres, but 9.9s. He broke the national record, won Commonwealth silver and was annoyed it wasn’t gold. Torrie Lewis broke 11 seconds in the women’s 100m and won bronze.

Ky Robinson matched Rose Davies’ effort from the night before and won 10,000m gold.

Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers won gold and silver, respectively, in the high jump. While that no longer counts as a news story because they always share a podium and the question is only who takes the higher step, Patterson crowned herself a Glasgow queen. Her victory matched the Commonwealth gold she won in Scotland 12 years ago as a 17-year-old schoolgirl. Head-to-head, Patterson and Olyslagers have won 29 times each and tied one other time. It is a rivalry.

And from nowhere, Lara Roberts won a hammer throw bronze medal. The hammer! When does Australia ever win a hammer medal?

Six medals in one night is unprecedented. These were not........

© The Sydney Morning Herald