Antigua and Barbuda Athletes Begin Commonwealth Games Campaign in Glasgow

GLASGOW, Scotland – The 2026 Commonwealth Games officially got underway for Team Antigua and Barbuda on Friday, with the Caribbean nation’s delegation making their first appearance across two core sports to open the multi-sport tournament. As the competition enters its second day on Saturday, the small island nation will pin its hopes on a single athlete, with welterweight boxer Zalaan set to step into the ring as the centerpiece of the country’s Day 2 schedule.
Zalaan is scheduled to clash with Happy Ngwira of Malawi in the men’s 80-kilogram Round of 32. The preliminary bout is set to get underway at 11:45 a.m. local Scotland time inside SEC Centre Hall 5, where the boxing competition will continue to run through early-round matches across a full slate of weight categories. Saturday’s boxing lineup features Round of 32 contests for men’s 60kg and 80kg divisions, alongside Round of 16 matches in the women’s 65kg and 70kg weight classes.
While Zalaan is the only Antigua and Barbuda athlete scheduled to compete on Day Two, action across the Games’ swimming program will stay in full swing at Glasgow’s Tollcross International Swimming Centre. The day’s morning session will host qualifying heats for six individual events: the women’s 200-metre freestyle, men’s 50-metre freestyle, women’s 100-metre backstroke, men’s 100-metre butterfly, women’s 100-metre breaststroke, and men’s 400-metre freestyle. The lineup also includes para-swimming competitions and the mixed 4×100-metre freestyle relay heats. When the evening session kicks off, spectators will see semi-final races in the women’s 100-metre backstroke, men’s 50-metre freestyle and men’s 100-metre butterfly, followed by medal-deciding finals for the women’s 200-metre freestyle, men’s 50-metre backstroke and women’s 50-metre butterfly.
Looking back at Team Antigua and Barbuda’s opening day, the nation’s campaign launched with two swimmers and one boxer making their debuts. Aunjeliqué Liddie and Jadon Williez both took part in their respective qualifying heats, while Alston Ryan competed in his first ever Commonwealth Games bout in the men’s 63.5kg division.
The 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games will run through next week, with Antigua and Barbuda’s athletes working to gain momentum as the tournament progresses and competition grows tighter across all sports.