Another medal for the Pacific as athletes mark milestones and endure heartbreak in Glasgow

Nauru has strengthened the Pacific Islands’ medal tally at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after teenage weightlifter Femily-Crystie Notte claimed bronze in the women's 63kg division.

The 17-year-old lifted 100kg in the snatch and 116kg in the clean and jerk to finish on the podium, giving Nauru its second medal of the Games.

Canada's Maude Charron took gold with a Games record total of 232kg, while England's Sarah Davies Smale claimed silver.

The achievement continues Nauru’s proud weightlifting tradition.

"Since joining the Commonwealth Games in 1990, Naoero has proudly upheld a tradition of winning medals on the Commonwealth stage," the Naoero Weightlifting Federation wrote on Facebook.

The country’s National Olympic Committee also praised the teenager. “Congratulations Femily. Certainly worth the wake. NAOERO is proud of you.”

Nauru's Femily-Crystie Notte and Ezekiel Moses with their bronze medals, adding to the nation's weightlifting success at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Photo/Facebook/Naoero Weightlifting Federation.

All four Pacific medals at Glasgow have come from weightlifting: Sāmoa winning silver, Papua New Guinea claiming bronze, and Nauru securing two bronze medals.

Historic moment for Sāmoa

Away from the podium, Samoa’s sprinter Symone Tafuna'i created history by becoming the first Samoan woman to qualify for the Commonwealth Games women’s 100 metres.

The sprinter finished fourth in her heat in 12.03 seconds and said simply reaching the starting blocks was a proud moment.

Symone Tafuna'i during the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. Photo/Instagram

“Being the only female Sāmoan woman to qualify for the Commonwealth 100 metres, so that in itself has been very heartwarming for me,” she told RNZ.

“It's very supportive and has such a loving family culture here. Just having devotion… really grounds me and gets me to connect to not only my culture but also my heritage which I found was kind of missing for a long time.”

Hobbs delivers for NZ

New Zealand sprint star Zoe Hobbs won gold in the women's 100m in an Oceania record 10.93 seconds.

Reflecting on her journey, the 28-year-old said she had once been told to give up the event.

“I just think about the time when I was told that I shouldn’t do the 100 because it’s too hard to do, that I should consider doing other events because I’ll never make it as a sprinter in the 100,” she told Sky Sport.

“And here I am making the Games and let alone getting a medal. So it’s just crazy. It’s actually wild.”

Boxing hopes end in quarter-final

It was a disappointing day in the ring for Pacific boxers, with several medal hopes ending in the quarter-finals.

Papua New Guinea's Flora Loga was stopped in the second round of her women's 65kg bout against Scotland's Caitlin Rainey.

In the same division, Niue's Karen Te Ruki Pasene lost a unanimous points decision to Northern Ireland's Kaci Rock after being knocked down three times.

In the men's 90kg division, another Niue hopeful Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams, was beaten by Wales' Connor Williams.

With more weightlifting, athletics and boxing still to come, Pacific nations remain in the hunt for more medals before the Glasgow Games end.

To keep up to date with all your favourite Pacific athletes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, click here.