Glasgow 2026 | Reuben Ward makes history with all-around gold
The crowd roar for Reuben Ward as he becomes the Commonwealth all-around champion – making history for Team Scotland in the process.
Reuben came into this Games with the goal of a medal, and that he did. He became Scotland’s first ever Commonwealth all-around gold medallist. Speaking to us in the mixed zone following his incredible second day of competition he said:
“To make history and have a legacy is something that a lot of people would strive to do. [To be] the first person to ever do it is incredible. I’m so proud of myself.”
Captain Cameron Lynn also excelled in his first ever Commonwealth Games all-around final, finishing tenth with 75.350.
Sticking together
Up first out of the pair, Cameron showed clean single arm work on the handle of the pommel horse. He lost his flow a little in the middle, but the crowd got behind him. Sticking the dismount, in unison with Reuben also nailing the landing on his second tumbling pass over on the floor. Settling into the routine and competition, Reuben placed himself into seventh after round one with Cameron in twelfth. Felix Dolci of Canda, the top qualifier, also started strong putting out 13.450 on floor to start in first.
Pommel push
Reuben then moved over to his speciality piece, the pommel horse, where he looked to get a strong score for that all important final total. Composing himself before mounting, he went clean as a whistle, putting out a difficulty of 5.6 to earn 14.100. Supported by personal coach John Campbell, Cameron mounted the rings in his second rotation. Opening with the ever-impressive Azaryan cross valued at a D in the code of points, he put out a strong routine. After presenting to the judges, he lifted his fists in the air in pride.
Back to the pommel. The top two qualifiers coming into this competition took big hits. Marius Georgiou, representing Cyprus, had an unfortunate fall as he went for his dismount after an otherwise smooth routine. Dropping himself down into sixteenth, Felix fell twice from the horse, pushing Scotland’s highest hope in this event securely to the top of the table.
The boys were up first in their groups for the third rotation with Cameron on vault and Reuben at rings. Getting safely over the table to his feet, Cameron scored 13.700. He geared up the crowd into applause ahead of Reuben’s routine. He had a slight catch on the wire with his heel going into a handstand, but he wasn’t fazed as he swung into a double back tucked somersault, locking his feet to the mat. Meanwhile, Australia’s Jesse Moore nailed a handspring double front on vault, projecting himself up the rankings.
At the halfway point the standings were:
- SCO | Reuben Ward – 39.150
- AUS | Ritam Malik – 39.050
- WAL | Elliot Vernon – 38.950
- AUS | Jesse Moore – 38.900
- CAN | William Emard – 38.700
- CYP | Marius Georgiou & ENG | Adam Tobin – 38.300
- SCO | Cameron Lynn – 38.150
Triple threat
Cypriot Marius put out a double twisting Yurchenko to stick on vault, followed by England’s Adam Tobin, who also hit the perfect landing. Reuben upped his difficulty from qualifiers from 4.4 to 5.2 with a triple twist which sent coach Jake Seagar almost as high into the air with excitement. The additional twist improved his vault score almost two whole marks higher from 13.00 to 14.850.
Cameron took to the parallel bars as the final competitor of the round – with several saltires waving alongside him in the crowd. A hesitation as he goes up to handstand shook his routine as he went onto fall out of transition from a single bar hold back to two. Otherwise, it was a well-rounded routine that placed him into eleventh going into the penultimate rotation.
Gaining vital bonus marks to gain vital tenths, Aussie Jesse Moore pushed himself closer to a podium finish. Performing two connected release and catch elements, as well as sticking the dismount, he sat with 66.400 in second place. Reuben put out a near pristine routine, sending the crowd crazy as he stuck yet another landing. The eventual champ joined the fans in cheering and drawing their attention over to Cameron taking to the high bar. Lynn kept the audience on the edge of their seats with his two thrilling release and catch elements – a Kolman (a double back salto with a full twist) and a Kovacs (double back somersault). As the score of 12.900 comes in, he cheekily down the camera hypes up the audience in and out of the arena.
Golden horizons
Reuben remained the leader of the pack going into the final rotation with Jesse Moore, Adam Tobin, Marius Georgiou, Felix Dolci (who crept back up the rankings!) all at his heels.
Pleased with his floor routine, scoring him 12.700, Cameron concluded his competition with 75.350 all-around. Giving the crowd another wave and cheers, he shouted over in encouragement to Reuben as he was going in quick succession next on high bar. He presented to the judges, tapped his chest and gave himself words of confidence. He walked towards the metal that stood between him and the podium. To the delight of the locals, he went clean and sent the crowd wild, a reoccurring theme for Team Scotland at this home Games, with nations around the field of play also applauding his performance.
Reuben was embraced by fellow Great Britian teammates representing England, Cameron ran to join in the celebrations while awaiting the final score to come in – 12.700. It wasn’t sealed there though as competitors were still to go on high bar and floor… Marius (CYP) performed well enough on high bar to push himself up into second. Jesse (AUS) gained attention and big marks on floor with complex straddle flair work. Some marginal errors going out of bounds and a low chest cost him his chance at gold. Up last Felix Dolci from Canda. He looked out of the running after pommel but fought tooth and nail into the medal positions, with a fantastic high bar routine to finish off. But it was not enough to topple the Scot.
The rampant lion – Reuben Ward
The crowd were on their feet, Team Scotland’s gymnasts and coaches in the air with glee. Reuben stepped up to the podium with a saltire flag. And in that moment, history was made by City of Manchester’s Reuben Ward.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games men’s all-around medallists:
- GOLD | SCO Reuben Ward – 79.650
- SILVER | CAN Felix Dollci – 79.450
- BRONZE | AUS Jesse Moore – 79.00
Congratulations to Reuben on a phenomenal performance – he brought it hame and more! And a further congratulations to captain Cameron on his top ten finish. Well done boys.
Next up
This evening we have the women’s all-around competition featuring two Scots again. Crystelle qualified in thirteenth to this final (48.100), with Ellee in nineteenth (46.700).
Sunday 26 July | Individual all-around finals
- Session 2 | women’s – Crystelle & Ellee: 6-9pm
Monday 27 July | Apparatus finals day one: 1-5.30pm
- Men’s floor, pommel horse (Reuben & Cameron) & rings
- Women’s vault and uneven bars
Tuesday 28 July | Apparatus finals day two: 1-5.30pm
- Men’s parallel bars (Reuben), high bar (Cameron) & vault
- Women’s balance beam & floor
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Photography credit: Ewan Bootman