Zac Stubblety-Cook has marked his return to international racing with a fifth-place finish in the men’s 100m breaststroke final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Read: Olympic Champion Zac Stubblety-Cook to Represent Australia Again at Glasgow 2026
Competing in the opening session of the Games, Stubblety-Cook qualified fifth fastest overall for the men’s 100m breaststroke final after clocking 1:00.21 in the semi-finals. He returned for the final and finished fifth in 1:00.20, just one hundredth of a second quicker than his semi-final swim.
Long before Olympic medals and world titles, Stubblety-Cook began swimming with the Water Ratz at Wellers Hill State School in Tarragindi. He later progressed through the ranks to become one of Australia’s leading breaststroke swimmers and now trains with Melbourne’s Nunawading Swimming Club.
The Glasgow campaign marks another milestone in the 27-year-old’s return to international competition. Stubblety-Cook won Olympic gold in the 200m breaststroke at the Tokyo Olympics, added Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham in 2022, and claimed silver in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Congratulates Teammate’s Comeback
Fellow Australian Sam Williamson claimed the gold medal in 59.17, producing a blistering final 50 metres to complete a remarkable comeback after recovering from a knee injury that at one stage left him learning to walk again.
After the final, Stubblety-Cook reflected on his performance in an Instagram post.
“Left wanting more, executing the best race plan I could. Stoked to be back racing internationally again,” he wrote.
He also praised Williamson’s achievement, writing: “Super proud of @sam_likesjam for accomplishing all he has over the last 12 months and it’s only the beginning.”
Williamson’s victory was one of the standout stories of the swimming program after the breaststroker fought back from a serious knee injury that forced him to learn to walk again before returning to elite competition.
Strong Showing for the Dolphins
Australia’s Dolphins continued their impressive campaign in Glasgow with another dominant night in the pool, collecting five gold medals and a Games record.
Williamson’s breaststroke triumph was among the highlights as Australia continued to build momentum in the swimming competition, with Stubblety-Cook’s return to an international final providing another positive sign ahead of the remainder of the season.
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For Stubblety-Cook, the result may not have delivered a medal, but reaching another international final after his time away from top-level competition represented another important step forward in his comeback.
Published 27-July-2026