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Australian swimmer Shayna Jack has announced she will retire at the end of the Commonwealth Games, closing a career that included two gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 and multiple relay triumphs at the Olympics, world championships, and Commonwealth Games, as reported by ABC Australia.

Jack made the announcement in a video posted to social media with her coach, Dean Boxall, saying she was leaving the sport with her head held high after a career filled with ups and downs. "I'm extremely proud of everything I've achieved in my swimming career," she said. "I cannot wait to finish at the Commonwealth Games, Glasgow. I have always loved the Commonwealth Games, so it is a perfect way to give back to my Australian community, do myself proud and walk away with a smile on my face."

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2. Jack won her first Commonwealth Games gold as part of Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay team in Birmingham in 2018. She later served a 24-month competition ban after the illegal substance Ligandrol was found in her system, though she always denied intentionally taking a banned substance. She was selected for her first Olympics in Paris 2024, where she won gold in the women's 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.

"I'm really proud of what swimming made me," Jack said in her retirement video. "I'm not just proud of medals or the world records. That's never what I swam for. I swam because I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be someone people looked up to."

Coverage Comparison

The Commonwealth Games have been marked by several notable victories for Australian swimmers, as reported by ABC Australia across multiple articles. Meg Harris won the 100m freestyle gold medal, marking the first time she had stood on the top step of the podium as an individual champion. Her win came as part of a broader display of Australian dominance in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay, a team that has now won 19 of the last 21 major international finals.

Harris's victory was also notable for the company she kept on the podium: Shayna Jack and Mollie O'Callaghan joined her there. Harris, who had previously been part of relay victories, said of the achievement, "It's pretty incredible, I've never done that before. I've never been in that position. Hopefully this is just the start of my journey. I'm pretty happy with that. These girls are absolutely incredible, so any chance I get to stand on the podium with them is great."

In another highlight, Iona Anderson won the 100m backstroke gold medal, her first individual gold at a senior meet. Anderson, who has Scottish heritage and was named after the small island of Iona off Scotland's west coast, stormed past Canadian veteran Kylie Masse. Kaylee McKeown, the reigning backstroke champion, withdrew from the competition due to glandular fever, opening the door for Anderson and others.

Jenna Forrester also claimed an unexpected gold in the 200m backstroke. Forrester had not originally been selected for that event but was added after McKeown's withdrawal. She came from behind to win, saving her second-fastest 50 metres for last, and described her approach: "I really just went into tonight with a positive attitude. I felt like I had nothing to lose and my family would have been really proud of me no matter what the result was."

Key Claims

  • Shayna Jack will retire at the end of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which run from July 23 to August 2.
  • Jack won two gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, in the women's 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.
  • Jack was part of gold medal relay-winning teams at the Olympic Games, world championships, and Commonwealth Games.
  • Meg Harris won the 100m freestyle gold medal at the Glasgow Games, her first individual gold at a major meet.
  • The Australian women's 4x100m freestyle relay team has won 19 of the last 21 major international finals.
  • Iona Anderson won the 100m backstroke gold medal, her first individual senior title.
  • Jenna Forrester won the 200m backstroke gold medal, having been added to the event after Kaylee McKeown's withdrawal.
  • Kaylee McKeown withdrew from the competition due to glandular fever.