Commonwealth Games: Australian Success and Future Prospects in Glasgow

You see a lot of Olympic rings tattoos on athletes. They feature a lot in the pool and the track, as you'd expect, but you'll catch them on NRL and NRLW players too from time to time, thanks to the recent inclusion of rugby sevens.

Petria Thomas got them on her right ankle 30 years ago and, after Glasgow, she's had the 2026 Commonwealth Games logo inked on the other side.

"The Commonwealth Games has been such a big part of my life, as big a part as the Olympics, so I thought why not?" the eight-time Olympic medallist said.

"I'll wear it very proudly."

Thomas, who won nine golds across three Commonwealth outings, said the 1994 Games were the springboard for her career, just as they will be for so many athletes in Glasgow.

"For many athletes, this is their first experience in a multi-sport environment and there's nothing that can compare to going into those sorts of environments," she said.

"So to have the opportunity to do it here in Glasgow has been incredible and for so many of our Australian athletes, the Commonwealth Games is their launching pad."

The 2026 Games will forever mark the coming out party for debutant athletes as varied as 14-year-old Mia Hogan, a girl who made the final of the women's 100m freestyle S13 on the first night of the swimming program, and 76-year-old Louise Hoskins, Australia's oldest gold medallist after para pairs bowls victory in the final hours of competition.

For the rising athletics team, this was a combination of a coming of age and a coming out, with the middle-distance, long-distance and field stars reaffirming their brilliance, and the newly minted sprint stars shining at an international meet for the first time.

Even in the swimming team, with so many established stars who regularly speak about the Commonwealth Games as a stepping stone, there were people like Jenna Forrester and Sam Williamson and Meg Harris getting their moments in the sun.

At times it felt like an unfair fight.

In the end, Australia led the overall medal tally by a cool 61 medals, winning more than twice as many golds as England and more than triple Canada's after topping the swimming, cycling and athletics.

It's true that some of the best sporting nations weren't here and of those that were, some of the superstars didn't turn up, but you can only beat the ones who do.

"We're just good at our sport. Everyone likes an underdog. We're the same in Australia," Thomas said.

"Australians really value Commonwealth Games, it's always been an important competition for us and our sports know how important it is for athlete development and career progression. We really have prioritised Commonwealth Games and that's really shown here."

And try telling Peter Bol that these Games don't matter as he cheered on Luke Boyes and Peyton Craig on their way to the 800m final.

Try telling Paul Trainor not to worry as he processed being battered by Dimeji Shittu in their heavyweight semifinal.

Try telling Kiana Elliott to cheer up after her third clean and jerk left her fourth for a second straight Games.

Try telling Georgia Baker her spectacular Games weren't worth anything as she burst into tears when receiving the news she was the closing ceremony flag-bearer.

These Games can mean government waste to Victorians, they can mean occasional traffic inconveniences to Glaswegians, they can mean late nights or early mornings on a blog or stream for many of you.

But they can also mean a new beginning, for athletes young and old, and for the Games as a whole.

Ironically, the event that Thomas credits for kickstarting her international career 32 years ago, was held in Victoria, albeit the one in Canada. This time around, the Australian version's withdrawal led to Glasgow picking up the baton.

Limited and imperfect, it was a decision that saved a concept on life support.

"We're just grateful to be here," Thomas said, getting choked up.

"After what occurred, there was a time where we didn't know whether there would ever be another Commonwealth Games."

Commonwealth Sport has pledged to keep the Games alive.

It wants to engage with athletes to make them fit for purpose and sustainable, economically and environmentally.

Amdavad in India has pledged to deliver a full slate of events in 2030, with prospective hosts allegedly expressing interest in taking on 2034.

Who knows if that will come to fruition, but for 10 days of inclement weather and imperfect organisation, we saw a glimpse of Australia's future, and that's got to be worth something.