Dame Denise Lewis has expressed her belief that England's female sprinting trio will deliver outstanding performances at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The two-time Commonwealth champion backed Amy Hunt, Dina Asher-Smith, and Daryll Neita to give their all in the highly anticipated competition.
Three-way sprint showdown
The prospect of a three-way English sprint shootout at this summer's Commonwealth Games will have fans on the edge of their seats, according to Lewis. Amy Hunt, who secured 200m silver at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, is set to face former 100m world champion Dina Asher-Smith and multiple European medallist Daryll Neita. All three were part of the quintet that helped Team GB win Olympic silver at Paris 2024 in the 4x100m relay, with Asher-Smith and Neita also members of the bronze-medal winning team from the delayed Tokyo Games.
With all three set to represent Team England in Glasgow, Lewis, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2000 Olympic heptathlon champion, believes the competition is a huge opportunity for someone to lay down a significant marker. "I'm getting excited just thinking about it," said Lewis.
Athletes at their peak
"Athletes want to win medals. They want to look back at their career and say I've competed at all of the majors, and if I have an opportunity to get a medal or to win, I want to take that. You've got to bring your A-game. There is no room for complacency. These three women are at their absolute peak and will want to take home a clutch of medals," Lewis added.
"You look at this season, which also includes the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, there's a lot of opportunities out there. Anyone who's competitive is going to want to take those opportunities to get medals."
Home nations rivalry and crowd support
The Commonwealth Games will see home nations athletes compete under the flag of either England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, rather than the Union Jack. England and Scotland going head-to-head in any sporting contest can lead to a partisan atmosphere, but Lewis, who has competed multiple times in Glasgow, expects those in attendance to be welcoming.
She added: "The Glasgow crowd is such a knowledgeable crowd. If you're talking about athletics specifically, they will be warm. They will naturally have an emphasis towards the Scottish athletes, who have been very strong domestically and when competing for Great Britain & Northern Ireland. They have been tremendous."
"I expect them to be cheering on their own, but also, I expect them to be kind and supportive to the other nations, not just the home countries but all the athletes coming from around the Commonwealth. You have to keep reminding yourself that sport is a unifier. There's a lot going on in the world right now that might seem very crazy and trying to pit nations against nations. But sport tries to remain neutral, or at least a welcoming place for the vast majority of teams who come to compete and represent their nations, their families, and their heritage."
King's Baton Relay
The heptathlete also hailed the importance of the King's Baton Relay, which is taking place between May 26-31 and is being supported by Team England's official automotive partner, Geely. "The baton symbolises connectivity from country to country as it moves around the Commonwealth," she added. "It's that call to the attention of the Commonwealth that the Games are happening, and that people and communities can get engaged with the baton and its journey."
"There's that level of anticipation when you know you're going to be one of those baton relay runners. People will feel a sense of pride that they are representing their community. They've got family and friends who can get involved. It is just very special to be part of it, to witness it, and for that culmination [of the relay] when it arrives in the stadium for the first time."
Team England are Ready to Win at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Keep up to date on teamengland.org.
