TEAM Fiji returned from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with a gold medal, a bronze medal and a historic first in swimming after a memorable campaign highlighted by weightlifter Taniela Tuisuva Rainibogi, swimmer David Young and boxer Jasmine Daunakamakama.
Rainibogi produced Fiji’s greatest moment of the Games when he claimed gold in the men’s 110kg weightlifting competition on Thursday, July 30.
The Fijian powerhouse delivered a record-breaking performance, lifting 170kg in the snatch, 208kg in the clean and jerk and finishing with a total of 378kg.
All three lifts were Commonwealth Games records, making Rainibogi the first Fijian athlete to win gold at Glasgow 2026 and adding another chapter to Fiji’s weightlifting success on the international stage.
By the closing of the Games on Sunday, August 2, Daunakamakama had secured Fiji’s second medal after winning bronze in the women’s 57kg boxing division.
Daunakamakama defeated Ghana’s Adelaide Dede Djabatey 5-0 in the quarter-final and Sri Lanka’s Keshani Hansika 4-1 in the last eight before her semi-final loss to Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh.
Her bronze medal performance capped a strong tournament for Fiji’s boxing team.
Meanwhile, David Young created history in the swimming pool by becoming the first Fijian swimmer to reach a Commonwealth Games final.
Young progressed through the men’s 50m freestyle after recording 22.16 seconds in the heats and improving to 22.09 seconds in the semi-final.
In the final, he clocked 22.18 seconds to finish sixth against some of the best swimmers in the Commonwealth.
He also competed in the 100m freestyle, finishing 26th in 50.84 seconds, and the 50m butterfly where he recorded 24.28 seconds.
Fiji’s swimmers continued to make history with several national records broken throughout the competition.
Anahira McCutcheon set a new Fiji record in the women’s 100m freestyle with a time of 55.80 seconds in the semi-final, while also reaching the semi-final of the 50m freestyle and finishing 12th in the 50m butterfly.
Samuel Yalimaiwai also broke the national record in the men’s 50m breaststroke with a time of 28.23 seconds in the semi-final.
The men’s 4x100m medley relay team of Reuben Taylor, Yalimaiwai, Hansel McCaig and Young finished 13th with a time of 4:02.77, while the mixed 4x100m medley relay team placed 16th.
In athletics, Rusiate Matai produced a season’s best performance of 2.05m in the men’s high jump final to finish ninth.
Heleina Young recorded season’s best times in the women’s 200m heats, clocking 24.45 seconds after competing in the 100m heats, while Errol Qaqa ran 14.66 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles.
Yeshnil Karan also achieved a season’s best in the men’s one mile with a time of 4:12.28.
Sitiveni Konataci finished ninth in the men’s discus F42-44/F61-64 final with a season’s best throw of 27.54m.
In bowls, Rajnesh Prasad impressed in the men’s singles, recording three wins from five matches and finishing fourth in Section C. He defeated England’s Sam Tolchard and overcame Scotland’s Jason Banks in a tie-break.
Litia Tikoisuva and Losalini Tukai recorded victories over Botswana and Kenya in the women’s pairs, while Lal Chand Prasad and Surendra Prasad also competed strongly in the men’s pairs.
Judoka Gerard Takayawa finished seventh in the men’s over 100kg category after defeating Northern Ireland’s Adam Hall by ippon before bowing out in the quarter-final and repechage stages.
Fiji’s 3×3 basketball teams also gained valuable experience, with the men recording a win against Jamaica while competing in Pool B, and the women facing Uganda and Jamaica in Pool A.
Apakuki Wakanibua finished ninth in the men’s 65kg weightlifting category with a total lift of 215kg.
Team Fiji’s Glasgow 2026 journey will be remembered for Rainibogi’s record-breaking gold medal, Daunakamakama’s boxing bronze and Young’s historic swimming achievement.
The team also acknowledged the contribution of coaches, team managers, medical staff, national sporting federations, families and volunteers who supported the athletes throughout the Games.
With a gold medal, a bronze medal, national swimming records and a historic Commonwealth Games swimming final appearance, Team Fiji returns home with pride and renewed confidence for the future.
