Canada’s Biron claims judo Commonwealth gold, men’s relay team reinstated to silver

GLASGOW – Canada continued collecting Commonwealth Games medals in combat sports led by Laurence Biron’s judo gold, while the men’s relay team was disqualified and then reinstated to a silver medal at the track Saturday.

Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney, who are the reigning Olympic relay champions, finished second to Australia in a close relay final. They were subsequently disqualified for a lane infringement.

Athletics Canada won its appeal to put the Canadian men back on the podium.

With one day of competition remaining in Glasgow, Canada’s team ranked third in gold medals (18) and total medals (59) behind leader Australia with 65 gold and 158 medals, and England with 26 and 102.

Biron, a 22-year-old from Varennes, Que., defeated Australia’s Saya Middleton in the women’s 63-kilogram judo championship bout at the SEC Centre.

Biron won by penalty as Middleton accumulated the maximum three penalties in a scoreless match.

“Laurence had several tough matches today,” said her coach Antoine Bouchard. “What I notice is that she sets a good pace, and when the time comes, she’s able to secure those added points or third penalty that makes all the difference.”

Biron claimed Canada’s third judo gold after Friday victories by Evelyn Beaton of Lethbridge, Alta., and Julien Frascadore of Beauport, Que.

Guillaume Gaulin of Val-d’Or, Que., took silver Saturday in the men’s 90-kilogram final after a 1-0 loss to Remi Feuillet of Mauritius.

In women’s boxing, Scarlett Delgado of Brampton, Ont., and Montreal’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh were silver medallists.

Delgado dropped a 5-0 decision to Preeti Preeti of India in the 54-kg final. Al-Ahmadieh fell 6-1 to India’s Priya Priya in the final bout of the 60-kg class.

De Grasse overtook Nigeria’s anchor Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike as Canada pipped the Nigerians by a hundredth of a second for the silver medal at the track.

Australia won in 38.07 seconds ahead of Canada in 38.11 and Nigeria in 38.12.

“My first Games was 2014 here in Glasgow, so it’s a long time coming, like a full circle moment for me,” Brown said. “I got the silver in 2018 in 200 metres.

“I’ve had some up and down performances here, some disqualifications, some good races, some bad … it’s a career, right? Ups and downs. Just writing that chapter, it’s pretty cool to end it with these guys.”

The Canadian women’s relay team also took silver behind victorious Jamaica.

The quartet of Sade McCreath, Frédérique Chiasson, Marie-Éloise Leclair and Audrey Leduc finished in 42.76 seconds behind Jamaica in 42.65. Trinidad and Tobago was third in 43.07.

“It’s just amazing to be able to perform at that level on that stage,” Leduc said. “The program is so strong right now, and I think we’ve built something amazing, and we’re just getting started.”

Canada won a total of 16 medals — four gold, seven silver and five bronze — in track and field in Glasgow.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2026.