CG Day 6 – Mackenzie Little, Joshua Azzopardi, Chris Ius and Rohan Browning win gold

2 August 2026

CG Day 6 – Mackenzie Little, Joshua Azzopardi, Chris Ius and Rohan Browning win gold

On a record-breaking day six at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games four NSW athletes claimed gold medals, Mackenzie Little in the javelin and three athletes, Josh Azzopardi, Rohan Browning and Chris Ius, as members of the successful Australian men’s 4x100m relay team. 

MEN 4X100M RELAY final

The Australian team were a medal chance, but they would standup to claim gold – in a very close race to the line where just 0.06 seconds separated the top-4. Australia clocked 38.07, over Canada (38.11), Nigeria (38.12) and Ghana (38.13). For the final, Australia brought in Lachie Kennedy for Chris Ius on the first leg. He changes to Josh Azzopardi, while Calab Law ran third and Rohan Browning the anchor.

It was just the second gold medal in our Commonwealth Games history, and first since 1974 – 52 years ago.

Quotes

Rohan Browning:

“I don't think I've ever run that scary in my life. I mean, I knew I was in a good position, I had no idea where the others were. I could hear the commentator call for Canada – I just run to that line.

“Four years ago I tripped over, got the team disqualified in the heat, when we were medal threats, and I've had to carry the burden of that for the past four years. I think this hopefully wipes the slate clean, and it's probably been my special moment of my career.

Josh Azzopardi

“It makes all the hard work and sacrifices worth it. There was the whole saga with myself and Rohan obviously, but, you know, we're best mates now and we're going to have some beers later on and it'll be good.”

Josh changed his run up to take the baton at the end of the zone: “I was a bit nervous, to be honest, but obviously we know what shape Lockie's in, so I had full faith in him. And I felt like I ran a lot better than the heat this morning. You know, the boys ran awesome, and to come out as gold medallists is unbelievable. It's incredible.”

WOMEN JAVELIN final

Sydney doctor, Mackenzie little, went one step higher on the podium than in Birmingham, to take the gold with her opening throw of 61.88m. Her first effort held up comfortable over Kiwi Tori Moorby (60.04m). Blue Mountains athlete Lianna Davidson just missed the podium throwing 57.61m – 24cm short of medal. 

Quotes:

“Yeah, I think to have the 4x1 men's win that amazing gold in the middle of our competition, really, that felt great and just watching everyone go, this is such a good night for the Australians.

“Look, I think tonight it was challenging conditions. There was really low sun, and the headwind was very strong. It was quite cold – everyone was telling us bring clothes, bring blankets,

“My technique tends to be low and hard, and so this did benefit me a little bit tonight, I think.

“I enjoy competing so much. It's such a nice break from work for me, and I feel like I've got so many people supporting me.

“I've worked really hard, I have so much else going on in my life, I feel really confident in that when I'm out there it's just fun. It's just icing on the cake when I get to do something like this and then gold is just everything I

“It's my first international gold since 2013, Ukraine World Youth I think it is.

When on the dais? “I'm going to sing".

"I'm so I'm relieved and excited, this is so fantastic. Nailing the first throw is maybe something to do with how my training's been a bit quality over quantity in the last couple of years.

"I wish I could say you know that I'm really, really training my butt off, but I'm just having to fit things in around my job. I'm having to make the most of sometimes challenging situations, not having all the time in the world.

"I perform surgeries, and see outpatients in clinics and take care of our patients who are in the ward sick in hospital. Then in the evenings, I'll get to training, but I've had to change my training locations this year to stay within 30 minutes of the hospital. Because when you're on call, you need to overnight and in the evenings be within 30 minutes of the hospital in case of emergencies. I'm gonna go and fly home straight away and get back to work."

MEN 800M final

With three Aussies in the men’s 800m final, we had high hopes of at least a medal, but the surprise for some, was Blue Mountains athlete Luke Boyes. Regarded as tactically sound by his teammates, Luke seemed to always be in a good position, then powered over the last 50 metres to move from fourth to the silver.

Quotes

“To be honest, it hasn't really sunk in, I just tried to savour it (on the dais). It's one of those moments that doesn't come along very often, so I think I just tried to enjoy it.

“PBs don't mean anything in championship racing. Like, they're completely useless. I think going through the heats and the semis, I was pretty comfortable, like, second in both. I think going into the final, I knew I had a good crack against these faster guys. And then, I don't know, it's just tactical racing. I tried to put myself on the shoulder. In my warm-up, I was kind of thinking, like, okay, I just need to stay switched on here. I want to stay engaged with the lead of the race. And then a few moves were made, and I just kept trying to follow and, like, measure my distance from the lead. And then, yeah, I don't know, about 150 to go, you just—it's second nature. You just find that extra gear. And then I think racing for your country as well. Like, you're not racing on your own. It's different. Like, I feel like I'm racing for my friends, for my family, for the team. Yeah, you just find that extra gear. And then down the home straight, I'm not—I'm not normally a kicker, but that was a good kick down by my standards today.

You promised Riccio that if you got to the final and got on the podium, you were going to do a shooey…..

“Yeah. I did say that.”

WOMEN MILE final

This race lived up to the hype with Australia delivering on an expected clean sweep.

Jessica Hull generally was in a good position throughout.

She had clear tactics:

“When I talked to Dad yesterday about the race plan, I thought that's what he was going to tell me. He was like, are we going to front race this, but I kind of was a bit hesitant with that based on having the 5k in my legs. So we decided we're not going until the bell, unless somebody else goes early. So for the first few laps I just switched off. It was very pushy, there were a lot of moving parts, but I wasn't really too worried. I was waiting for that bell to go, and luckily Lucia (Stafford from Canada) busted the field open for us with about 650 to go.”

Jess then seemed to follow her teammate Abbey Caldwell closely and then coming into the straight with 90m to go tried to take her, but Abbey was just as strong as they hit the line in times of 4:39.31 and 4:39.86, respectively.

After the race, Jess spoke about a pact earlier this year where they vowed to sweep the podium. Then nearing the line, she heard the announced say Australia was going to sweep the podium, bring out her beaming smile.

In third place, Claudia Hollingsworth clocked 4:40.20.

WOMEN 10,000m WALK final

Lizzy Millen’s incredible rise in recent years continued in Glasgow. Doing all the work leading Jemima Montag for nearly 9km, just before the start of the third lap, Jemmima passed Lizzy, building up a 20 second lead on her by the bell. At the finish Jemima won in 42:13.40, from Lizzy McMillen 42:39.87, a minute ahead of 3rd placed Aussie Bec Henderson.

"It definitely was to push it out hard at the start and try to maintain that hard pace. I didn't necessarily want to sit in front for all 20 laps, but what are you going to do,” Lizzy said.

"I'm only 22, and I think there's a big future ahead."

At the end of the race, Lizzy did seem unhappy that Jemima had sat on her for most of the race.

MEN MILE final

The Aussies had mixed fortunes here and logically it was tied to their positioning through the race. Cam Myers, only really seemed to be in a good position when approaching the bell but didn’t take his opportunity and was swamped. World record holder Josh Kerr got away and was never headed. It was not until deep into the home straight Cam was running free, going on to take the silver with 3:55.26 – just over a second behind Kerr. Defending champion, Ollie Hoare who did get a good tactical run finished 5th in 3:56.28, less than a second short of the podium.

Quotes Cam Myers

“Oh, that was just an awful race. Like, I couldn't even a challenge him, and that's the disappointing part. I got myself in such a bad position, and I just wasn't able to move out. And I had a bit left down the home straight. He probably had more, so like, in the end, he probably was going to be very tough to beat. But it's just disappointing that I couldn't give a better account of myself, and so that's the— that's the hardest part, is just, like, knowing that you could do a bit better but you can't.

“I've been in a similar situation (badly positioned) like two or three times before. And it's the hesitation when you're on someone's shoulder, that you've just got to go, and if you don't go, someone goes around you. So, look, I had a perfect position with a lap to go, and I lost it to two or three guys, and I gave Kerr a 3-metre head start at 200m to go, so you can't do that at this level. And yeah, he beat me, and fair play to him, you know.

“I think definitely looking at the way I've progressed over the last 12 months, I've developed a skill set where I now think that I can be a competitor in different scenarios. And, you know, today it was a 3:54 race, and I still was somewhat competitive, but to be so far off the leader, that's what annoys me. So yeah, look, its frustration, but that's racing, and that's why people watch it, so it is what it is.

“I hate losing, and especially when someone's waving to the crowd with 10 metres to go and you're halfway down the straight. I mean, that— that sucks, but look, he deserved it today. He ran in front of a home crowd, he put on a show, and like, you know, that's all credit to the athlete. I mean, like, yeah, to do that with the pressure of a home crowd, everyone expects you to deliver, and to actually do that is— is something that, you know, it shows the— the caliber of athlete that Kerr is.”

WOMEN LONG JUMP final

Delta Amidzovski gave herself every chance to medal in the long jump final. She opened beautifully with 6.75w (2.8) which held up for 3rd place for a few rounds until eventual winner, Jazmin Sawyers (England) launched jumps of 6.93m and 6.90m in rounds four and fine. Delta was having trouble with the tail wind and accumulated three foul jumps. She finished fourth, eventually missing the podium by just 5cm, with her teammate Brooke Buschkuehl taking the bronze.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Men 4x100m relay team (copyright Michael Thomas Australian Athletics)