Commonwealth Games | Glasgow 2026

Heptathlete Abigail Pawlett first went along to West Cheshire Athletics Club when she was eight years old after her Grandad spotted her speedy skills. But as a child, she was hospitalised with a serious bone infection, Osteomyelitis, which left her unable to walk.

But her determination and hard work has seen her become a world-class athlete, winning silver at the European Under 23 Championships. She made her global senior debut at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow where she finished ninth.

She describes 2019 as her breakthrough year as a junior when she won every title going again and again at England Nationals and English Schools events.

But her career hasn’t come without setbacks.

In 2022, she missed the World Under 20 Championships and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games due to a stress fracture in her takeoff foot. And she was selected for the 2025 World Championships but heartbreakingly fell, knocking her head, in the first event – the 100m hurdles heat. She went on to win her 200m heat but was forced to withdraw from competition after suffering delayed concussion.

She is now eager to make her Commonwealth Games debut:

“It would mean so much to be given the opportunity to go out in Glasgow and try and bring a medal back for Team Wales, especially because the support team at Welsh Athletics have done so much for me the last few years.”

She is from a seriously sporty family. Abigail’s sister was part of the bronze medal winning England netball team at the Commonwealth Youth Games. Meanwhile, her uncle swam competitively for Wales.

She is an avid reader and studied English Literature at Loughborough University. She is currently studying her master’s in international relations. Her training group is partial to a game of darts.

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