Bangor hosts celebration of Northern Ireland's swimming gold-en generation ahead of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

With Olympic and Paralympic greats Daniel Wiffen, Bethany Firth and Jack McMillan set to go for gold this weekend, aspiring swimmers from Bangor, Ards and Larne swimming clubs joined former Commonwealth Games swimmer Michael Dawson at a National Lottery-hosted gathering celebrating the grassroots clubs where many of the stars first found their lane.

Backed by The National Lottery, Team NI will send a 15-strong swimming squad to Scotland, including Danielle Hill, Ellie McCartney, Conor Ferguson, Charlotte Cullen, Grace Davison, Adam Bradley, Matthew Hamilton, Paddy Johnston, Alana Burns-Atkin, Victoria Catterson, Emily Hughes and Barry McClements.

The squad will be hoping to surge towards medal glory on Saturday in what could be a wave-making session at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

Michael Dawson, who swam for Northern Ireland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, said: “I’m so excited to see Jack, Bethany and Daniel and the team in action at Glasgow 2026, and it means a huge amount to be back here in Bangor, at the clubs where many of our swimming stars' journeys began.

“The incredible standards that our swimmers, and athletes across all sports, have achieved, are because of you, the people who play The National Lottery. Thank you for supporting our athletes and giving them the chance to fulfil their dreams in Glasgow.”

Shelley Adams, Ards SC Chair, said, “It’s a huge source of pride for everyone at Ards Swimming Club to see six of our swimmers representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games. None of this would be possible without the support of The National Lottery and the facilities and coaching it has helped fund here in the area, so thank you to everyone who plays.”

Richard Archibald, interim CEO at Sport Northern Ireland, added: “It's great to see Team Northern Ireland sending such a strong swimming team to Glasgow 2026. This is a fantastic moment for us and a direct result of Sport Northern Ireland's National Lottery investment. 

“That funding doesn't just support our elite athletes. It underpins the clubs, coaches and facilities that give every young athlete in Northern Ireland the chance to progress.”

Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33 million is raised every week for good causes. It's because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.

Since 1998, Swim Ulster has received more than £4.1 million in National Lottery funding through Sport Northern Ireland, which has invested more than £219 million of National Lottery funds into sport across Northern Ireland since 1994.

Team NI has received National Lottery funding of more than £900,000 through Sport Northern Ireland between 2023 and 2027 to support its Glasgow preparations. Across the UK, The National Lottery has invested more than £9 billion into sport through over 143,000 grants, supporting everything from local facilities to athletes on the Commonwealth Games stage.

The Commonwealth Games are taking place from July 23rd to August 2nd in Glasgow with 65 athletes representing Northern Ireland.