AS we enter the eighth day of competition, the Commonwealth Games never ceases to amaze and continues to hit us with unforgettable moments, new experiences and sensational performances.
Kicking off our day at the Games was none other than Oliver Dodds, who was ready to finally step under the lights as Jersey’s first weightlifter to compete at the Commonwealths in 64 years and test his mettle in the Men’s 110kg category.
For many days, I’ve heard countless comments and remarks on just how incredible the atmosphere is at the SEC Armadillo, but to experience it in person was just something else.
As music blared through the auditorium and flags were waved, the crowd fully bought into the occasion and cheered every athlete on in their quest for Commonwealth supremacy. Chants accompanied the vibrant music to help drive and aspire these man mountains to reach new stratospheres, but one rang louder than all.
“I BELIEVE IN YOU!”
That one line perfectly sums up the crowds we’ve been blessed with here in Glasgow. No matter the venue, no matter the sport, no matter the stage – the cheers, the chants, the flags and the face paints have helped drive these athletes to not only perform at their best, but smash countless records, set milestone PB’s and put together unforgettable perfomances.
We’ve witnessed incredible sporting feats, but the fans have well and truly showed up to become, in my opinion, the defining character of these Games.
The unity, the togetherness and the spirit of the Games have been on full show here in Glasgow and, in the difficult times we find ourselves in across the globe with conflicts, political disputes and incredibly tenuous situations, Glasgow 2026 has proved the Commonwealth Games are needed now more than ever.
It’s been a long wait to see the Caesarean in action, but it was certainly worth every second. With the Opening Ceremony kicking off the Games last Thursday, it’s been a week of constant practice and drilling in attempts to stay fresh for the big occasion.
It must have been an anxiety-inducing wait – given this is THE biggest moment of his career so far – but Dodds looked every bit the star to prove he belongs at the elite level.
Six attempts across two lifts were all Dodds had to make a statement and prove his place among the world’s best and, with this being the Jerseyman’s lone day of competition, the pressure was on. However, he remained unfazed and kickstarted his campaign with the snatch.
Hearts were racing as Dodds’ first attempt of 115kg went behind him, but the Jerseyman didn’t hesitate to hit back and hear the all-important “good lift” at the second time of asking.
Now only having one final attempt to put himself in good stead with a solid starting weight, Dodds ramped it up to 120kg which, as my colleague Archie Corbett pointed out, was the equivalent of lifting an adult male giant panda. I have to give credit where credit’s due, Archie’s research has been top-notch – who even thinks to put those two together!
With all the attention on this one lift, there should never have been any doubt. Dodds confidently locked out the lift before breaking into a smile and cheekily sticking out his tongue with the weight still overhead.
In what was his debut outing at the Commonwealth Games, Dodds handled the lights, the cameras and the action immensely well, playing showman to entertain the crowd throughout and making a lasting impression on the crowds in the SEC Armadillo.
Now it was onto the clean and jerk, marking just three more attempts to push his total further and jump up the leaderboard.
As the weightlifters pushed their limits to drive medal hopes, some realised their limitations on the day to overshoot the weight and be unable to record a lift, with three eliminated from the competition.
Pushing these boundaries were taking their toll on the competitors, as another couple picked up a few knocks to be seen hobbling off stage.
But Dodds remained disciplined to record a total, once again rebounding from a failed first attempt to lock out his second at 140kg.
For the third, the Jerseyman once again shot for the stars and kicked things up a gear, this time going for 145kg – but it just wasn’t meant to be today.
That left him with a remarkable score of 260kg for his debut Games, among a world-class field which saw Fiji’s Taniela Tuisuva Rainibogi take his place in the history books to break the Commonwealth Games record with a sensational total of 378kg.
“It was unbelievable. The crowd was phenomenal,” said Dodds. “Going out and seeing all the Jersey flags…I can’t put it into words – it was so emotional.
“I was just happy to get a total on the board. It might not be my best, but just to be there and experience it meant the absolute world.
“There has been so much through the qualification period that has been really difficult, so to come here, lift 260kg and finish seventh, I’m really, really happy with that.”
Meanwhile at the SEC’s rinks, Jersey’s Malcolm De Sousa and Ross Davis claimed an impressive scalp in the Men’s Pairs, as they played exceptional bowls to top Malta’s pairing of Troy Lorimer and Shaun James Parnis.
Coming into the Games as Jersey’s most experienced athletes in the team, with a whopping eight Commonwealth call-ups between them, they entered with expectations to go one step further and challenge for medals.
However, this quicker format on a rapid indoor surface has proved troubling, as they experienced their fair share of struggles to lose both their opening games by fine margins.
With Malta toppling the defending champions, Wales, just the night before, it’s fair to say the odds weren’t in our favour. But De Sousa and Davis delved into their extensive experience to rally their spirits and return to the rinks, determined to flip the script.
Fine margins have defined De Sousa and Davis’ Games so far and today was no exception, as they conceded the first set 5-1 before hitting back to win the second 4-3 and force a tiebreaker.
These tiebreakers have proved as real nail-biters for our bowlers, but De Sousa and Davis kept cool, calm and collected to edge ahead and win in the most convincing fashion I’ve seen thus far in terms of the tiebreak, at 2-0.
Claiming such a high-profile win will only boost confidence in the camp and it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against Niue tomorrow, at 12.45pm.
Abbey Andrieux also went toe-to-toe with Australia’s Ellen Fife but ultimately fell short 2-0, so she’ll be eager to flip the narrative and get her first win against the Cook Island’s Emily Jim this evening, at 7.45pm.
Heading over to Scotstoun Stadium, Evan Campbell started off his decathlon in style, recording a PB and Season’s best among the first three events.
As one of two multi-event athletes walking uncharted territory to make history for Jersey, Campbell had a tough act to follow after Lucy Woodward’s remarkable performance in the heptathlon earned a PB of 5530 points.
Campbell proved more than capable to follow suit however, as he made a quick start to record a PB in the 100m, narrowly shaving off 0.01 seconds to set a new milestone time of 11.32 seconds.
He then went on to record an impressive 6.68m long jump, before then storming the Shot Put to finish fourth, with a Season’s Best 14.43m.
Hopefully that’s a sign of what’s to come, as Campbell remains on the hunt for PB’s going into tonight’s High Jump and 400m events, which all kicks off from 7.08pm
Eight days into Glasgow 2026 and it’s still relentless – as I’m writing this, I’m guzzling probably my fifth cup of coffee today!
The action is coming thick and fast and it really is non-stop – but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every day, these Games are just living up to all expectations and watching every single one of these athletes makes me immensely proud to call Jersey my home.
