Abeku Jackson Reaches Commonwealth Games 50m Butterfly Semi-Finals with Personal Best Performance

Ghanaian swimmer Abeku Jackson has booked his place in the men’s 50-metre butterfly semi-finals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after delivering a personal-best performance in the qualifying heats.

Jackson produced an impressive swim in Heat 7, touching the wall in 24.11 seconds to improve on his entry mark of 24.22 seconds and secure automatic qualification for the next stage.

The Ghanaian finished fourth in his heat and ranked 14th overall among 70 competitors, keeping Ghana’s hopes alive in the swimming competition.

His performance was one of the highlights for Team Ghana in the pool, with Jackson continuing to demonstrate steady progress on the international stage.

Canada’s Joshua Liendo emerged as the fastest qualifier after posting a time of 23.66 seconds, while Australia’s Cam McEvoy and England’s Jacob Peters shared the second-fastest time of 23.74 seconds.

Jackson will now shift his attention to the semi-finals, scheduled for 20:20 BST, where he will compete for a place in the medal race.

Meanwhile, fellow Ghanaian Unilez Takyi bowed out of the women’s 50-metre freestyle after failing to progress beyond the heats.

Takyi finished seventh in her race with a time of 27.13 seconds, ending her campaign in the event.

The heat was won by Halle Harris of Sierra Leone in 26.01 seconds, ahead of Ella Justice of the Isle of Man, who clocked 26.38 seconds. Grenada’s Tilly Collymore completed the top three with a time of 26.83 seconds.

Although Takyi’s journey in the 50m freestyle has come to an end, Jackson’s qualification ensures Ghana will still have representation in the semi-finals, with the experienced swimmer aiming to continue his strong run in Glasgow.