Commonwealth Games 2026 chief has Esports in mind; Silver for Scotland's Neah Evans

The Commonwealth Esports Championships took place on Saturday and Sunday at Birmingham's International Convention Centre, alongside the regular sporting programme happening in the city and the wider region.

Victoria 2026 chief executive Jeroen Weimar said his organisation had not yet received a formal expression of interest from the Global Esports Federation but added: "We've certainly got some of our team looking at the Esports programme running in Birmingham over the weekend and we're very interested in how that might play and how we might evolve that going forward.

"We'd like to attract a younger audience and ensure we've got sports that reflect what people now want to get involved in and participate in and we'd like to surprise and delight people. So we're actually looking at a whole range of very different sports.

"We see this as a really good opportunity to do something a bit different and to keep advancing not just the engagement of the Commonwealth but the movement of sport more generally."

Sixteen core sports have already been confirmed for the 2026 Games, which will be held in four regional hubs across the state of Victoria.

Weimar expects that up to three or four more will be added by the end of September.

He said more than 20 international sports federations had made expressions of interest in being part of the programme.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Neah Evans claimed a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games women's road race as the Scot was once more edged out by Australia's Georgia Baker after a sprint finish.

Evans also had to settle for silver in the track cycling points race last Sunday behind Baker, who now has three golds at Birmingham 2022 having helped her country top the podium in the team pursuit.

Baker's compatriot Sarah Roy collected bronze in the seven-lap 112km route through the streets of Warwick, while Eluned King of Wales finished eighth and England's Alice Barnes came home in 10th.

"We knew there were a few big, strong teams here, so the plan was to just try and follow any moves and don't actually do any work," said Evans.

"Then, if it came to a bunch sprint, we would do what we could (and) wing it. It worked pretty well."

Evans has won two silvers and a bronze, but added: "I will have to come back in four years as there is one missing that I really want to try and get. But it has been a brilliant Games for me."

Matt Hudson-Smith lost out on gold as Zambia's Muzala Samukonga stunned the 400m favourite.

The 27-year-old - on his home track - had to settle for silver as Samukonga made a late break in the final 50m to go from fifth to first.

He ran 44.66 seconds with British record holder Hudson-Smith crossing the line in 44.81 seconds.

He at least adds to the bronze he won at the World Championships last month in Eugene.

Yet it also continues his Commonwealth Games frustration after he was disqualified from the event in 2018 for running out of his lane.

Hudson-Smith will now look to defend the European title he won in 2018 when he runs in Munich later this month.

Earlier at the Alexander Stadium Cindy Sember won bronze in the 100m hurdles with world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan taking the title in a Games record of 12.30 seconds.