Commonwealth Games 2026: NI’s Olympic champions battle medal-less Monday

Besides their struggles on Monday, it’s easy to draw parallels between the two that extend beyond their status as Olympic gold medalists.

By the end of the last Olympic cycle in 2024 they were both performing at the peak of their powers which helped win gold for both in Paris.

Then last year hit and hit hard.

McClenaghan opted to undergo surgery on a troublesome shoulder problem that will keep him out of action for the entirety of 2025.

The Commonwealth Games will be her first major event since Paris almost two years ago.

Wiffen suffered appendicitis in June 2025 with lingering effects that forced him to withdraw from the world in July last year.

Despite winning gold in the 1500m at the European Short Course Championships, he finished third in the 800m at the same meet in Lubin.

Both are now in a position to use 2026 to rebuild and a medal of any color in their favorite event will no doubt bolster both their sentiments on their way back to the very top.

McClenaghan had a simple solution to his problem: get back in the gym to “make more progress” with the Europeans in August and the worlds in October.

Wiffen may need to do some more self-examination to heal his illness, he said of “nerves” not being used as fuel for apparently good performances post-race as he felt he was “not handling them well”.

While McClenaghan will have to wait until next month to write the mistakes of his display at the Glasgow International Arena, Wiffen has the chance to bounce back quickly and in style with a medal in the 1500m final on Wednesday.

His previous silver at the Commonwealth Games came in that event four years ago and a repeat at Tollcross Swimming Center later this week would be a big confidence boost ahead of the Europeans in two weeks’ time.

“I’m going to learn from it,” Wiffen said. “Usually, when I have some bad swims the 1500m brings a bright side to it, so we’ll see how that goes on Wednesday.

“I hope I can go into it with a positive mindset and see what happens. I hope to come back with a medal, then I’ll be happy.

“The main goal is gold in LA so we’re working towards that.”