Ghanaian swimmer Abeiku Jackson has continued to make history on the international stage after setting a new national record in the men’s 50m backstroke at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Jackson delivered an impressive performance during the heats, touching the wall in 26.48 seconds to lower his previous personal best of 26.97 seconds. His time also surpassed the previous Ghana record of 26.84 seconds, which was held by Jason Arthur.

This places Jackson in contention for a place in the semi-finals, with the Ghanaian currently listed as a reserve should any of the qualified swimmers withdraw from the competition.

The latest milestone adds to Jackson’s growing legacy as one of Ghana’s most successful swimmers. The 26-year-old already holds several national records across different disciplines, including freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and medley events.

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Born in Accra, Jackson has been a key figure in Ghanaian swimming for more than a decade. He made his Commonwealth Games debut as a teenager during the 2014 edition in Glasgow before later becoming one of Ghana’s first Olympic swimmers alongside Kaya Forson at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

He returned to represent Ghana at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and has been consistent at major international competitions.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are being staged in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, 2026.

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