Why is Eilish McColgan not running at the Commonwealth Games 2026?

SCOTTISH distance runner Eilish McColgan will not be defending her Commonwealth Games 10,000m title on home soil in Glasgow. The middle- and long-distance runner was expected to be one of Team Scotland’s marquee attractions at the 2026 Games. The middle- and long-distance runner was expected to be one of Team Scotland’s marquee attractions Credit: Getty McColgan was seen running with a bloodied shoe earlier in the year at the London Marathon Credit: Getty But a frustrating physical setback has forced her off the track. Why is Eilish McColgan not running at the Commonwealth Games? McColgan has been forced to pull out of the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to a lingering toe injury that severely disrupted her training schedule. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! The Scottish track star sustained the injury around the time of the London Marathon. Further medical examinations revealed she was dealing with a stress fracture in her toe, forcing her to spend nearly 10 weeks away from running. Read more commonwealth games Although McColgan recently resumed outdoor running, she admitted that the timeline was simply too tight to rebuild the track sharpness needed to race in spikes. Confirming her decision, McColgan said: “Sadly, I won’t be competing at Glasgow 2026. “After almost 10 weeks out following the London Marathon with my toe injury, it probably won’t come as a huge surprise.” She added: “The good news is I’m back running. The bad news is I’ve simply run out of time to get myself, and my toe, back into spikes. Most read in Athletics “Having started the year stronger than ever, I know the fitness is there but having only taken my first run outdoors a couple of weeks ago, the clock was always against me.” Team Scotland fully backed her decision to prioritise her long-term health. Chef de Mission Elinor Middlemiss said: “We’re sad Eilish won’t be competing at Glasgow 2026 as we know just how much it meant to her to defend her Commonwealth title in front of a home crowd.” Middlemiss hailed McColgan as a “legend of Scottish sport”, and confirmed the team “completely support her decision not to return before she’s ready to compete at her very best.” Has she been replaced by anybody? No direct last-minute substitute has been added to the Scottish squad to take McColgan’s specific slot in the 10,000m. McColgan’s withdrawal comes amid a wider wave of high-profile late injury withdrawals affecting the Games, joining stars like England’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Dina Asher-Smith on the sidelines. Though Team England have been able to directly replace a number of their withdrawing stars, Team Scotland have not been so lucky in the case of McColgan. In the 10,000m, there was no other Scottish distance runner who had hit the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard during the qualification window. Even if Team Scotland wanted to field someone, they could not select an athlete who had not qualified. Despite not racing, McColgan is staying in Glasgow throughout the week to support Team Scotland from the stands. When might she be back to competing? The good news for athletics fans is that McColgan’s season is not over. Her recovery has progressed well and she has already resumed outdoor conditioning, meaning a competitive return later in the 2026 season remains on the cards. McColgan reassured supporters, saying: “While these Games have come a few weeks too early for me, this isn’t the end of my season and I can’t wait to get back racing soon.” Rather than risking further injury by rushing onto the track prematurely, McColgan is targeting a return once she can train at full throttle in racing spikes without pain. Comment now