Olivia Breen celebrated her 30th birthday in the best possible way—by leaping into the history books. The Team Wales captain won gold in the T38 long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, claiming her third title in the event across her four appearances at the Games.
The athlete, who first competed for Wales back in 2014 when she finished seventh on her 18th birthday, knew she had something special in her very first jump. She rocketed down the runway at Scotstoun Stadium and launched 5.09 meters—further than her own Games record from 2018. The only problem? The wind was too strong, so that record couldn't count.
But Breen wasn't done. Just minutes later, she jumped again—this time with a wind-legal 5.03 meters, setting a new record that actually counted. "I knew my first jump was good and the crowd were amazing," Breen said afterward. "To come away with a gold and a silver is really special, and the crowd definitely spurred me on."
Australia's Layla Sharp pushed her all the way, finishing just three centimeters behind with 5.06 meters for silver. Another Australian, 15-year-old Ayla Kowalczyk, took bronze in what was her first Commonwealth Games.
This gold wasn't just any win. Breen was defending the title she claimed at the Gold Coast in 2018, since the event was actually dropped from the Birmingham Games in 2022. After eight years of waiting, she proved she was still the one to beat.
The long jump gold wasn't Breen's only medal in Glasgow. Just two nights earlier, she had won silver in the T38 100 meters. Across her four Commonwealth Games, she has now collected five medals total—three gold, one silver, and one bronze. Not bad for someone who started her journey at these Games as a teenager.
"I'm really happy," Breen said simply. For her 30th birthday celebrations, a gold medal and a silver medal will make for quite the party.
Wales had a spectacular day overall, with Breen's gold being the third one of the evening. Anna Morris and Emma Finucane also claimed victories at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome earlier in the night, making it a birthday celebration not just for Breen but for all of Team Wales.