Nick Griggs finished eighth in his 5km race at the 2026 Commonwealth Games despite a spirited performance by the 21-year-old. PICTURE: SPORTSFILEThe athletics programme at the Commonwealth Games concluded on Saturday night without a further podium place for Northern Ireland’s athletes. It was the first Commonwealth gold in athletics by a Northern Ireland athlete in 40 years, since Philip Beattie won the 400m hurdles in Edinburgh. Griggs was eighth at the bell in what had been up until that point a comparatively slowly run race, but he had no answer to Matthew Kipchumba Kipsang, who struck for home with 200m to run. His fellow Donegal athlete, Erin Friel of Letterkenny AC, is included in the women’s 4 x 400m team.