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Kenya finish outside world’s top 10 as Glasgow Commonwealth Games conclude
03rd August, 2026 09:25 AM
The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, concluded on Sunday, August 2, with Team Kenya finishing 13th in the overall standings. Australia topped the medal table with a staggering 171 medals (70 gold, 45 silver, 56 bronze).
England followed in second with 110 medals (29 gold, 45 silver, 36 bronze), while Canada rounded out the top three with 62 medals.
Kenya’s campaign in the multi-sport event, which incorporated non-track disciplines such as swimming, boxing, weightlifting, and netball, was spearheaded by a brilliant trio of gold medallists on the track.
near miss
The team also suffered a near miss after finishing fourth in the mixed 4×100m relay final.
Faith Cherotich delivered a standout performance in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, setting a new Commonwealth Games record of 9:01.76.
In the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, Edmund Serem captured gold to lead a dominant 1-2-3 Kenyan sweep, while Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang provided a pleasant surprise by sealing the nation’s third gold in a tactical men’s 5,000m final.
The nation’s haul was further bolstered by four silver medals. Simon Kiprop Koech finished second behind Serem in the steeplechase, while Lilian Odira and Diana Wanza earned silvers in the women’s 800m and 10,000m, respectively.
Stephen Ndangiri Kihu also delivered an impressive performance off the oval, claiming silver in the men’s 10,000m race walk.
Rounding out the tally were five bronze medals across a range of events. Leonard Kipkemoi Bett completed the steeplechase podium sweep, while track veterans Wyclife Kinyamal (men’s 800m) and Timothy Cheruiyot (men’s 1 mile) both secured third-place finishes.
In the field, Irene Jepkemboi took bronze in the women’s javelin, while Joshua Amunga Mboya earned a rare, historic podium finish outside track and field with a bronze in men’s 60kg weightlifting.
Comparison to Tokyo’s success
While Team Kenya brought home 12 medals in Glasgow, one more than the 11 won at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, its global ranking dropped sharply from 2nd in Tokyo to 12th in Glasgow.
This decline was primarily driven by a drop in gold medals (from 7 down to 3), as Kenya’s younger squad faced fierce competition across the expanded multi-sport program from powerhouses like Australia, England, and Canada.
