Sophie Unwin celebrates despite losing at Commonwealth Games

The pair faced off in an all-English clash for bronze in the women’s tandem B sprint, with Jordan and pilot Sylvia Misztal coming out on top against Unwin and Anna Whitworth-Hay.

Unwin is the reigning Paralympic pursuit champion but was thrilled to put her sprinting to the test at her second Commonwealth Games.

Team England athlete Sophie Unwin from Salisbury and pilot Anna Whitworth-Hay from Macclesfield at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. (Image: imagecomms/Matt Dickens)

The Salisbury cyclist's task was made harder by regular pilot Jenny Holl being Scottish and thus ineligible to race for England.

Whitworth-Hay stepped in as a late replacement and the pair were pleased to put together a strong set of races despite missing out on the medals.

And any disappointment was assuaged by defeat to Jordan and Misztal, who brought home a medal for Team England.

Unwin said: "It's a tough one, racing England for a bronze medal because only one of you is getting a medal but in a way it's nice because, yes, we'd have loved to medal, but we're genuinely so happy for the other girls.

"It takes away the sting of losing because it's so nice to see them get the medal. So positive all round.

"I'm not disappointed not to medal. All of our races were so close. I think it's just been a really great day."

Team England athlete Sophie Unwin from Salisbury and pilot Anna Whitworth-Hay from Macclesfield competing in Women's Tandem B 1000m Time Trial, at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. (Image: imagecomms/Matt Dickens)

Unwin will have her eyes on reaching the podium in the 1,000m time trial on Saturday and is hoping to continue to enjoy the shorter races.

She added: "I love and hate sprints.

"There's nothing more stressful than lining up right next to another bike, but they're such exciting races and the crowd really gets behind them.

"They're really good fun races, even if they're not necessarily the events that suit me best."

Unwin and Whitworth-Hay made the best of a nascent relationship on the bike, with the pair only meeting less than two months before Glasgow 2026.

It posed new challenges for the pair but Whitworth-Hay was pleased with the body of work they have produced in such a short space of time.

Whitworth-Hay said: "I'm so happy with the time we put down this morning.

"We met six weeks ago when I got the call-up to race with Sophie.

"I think both tandems have come through this journey together and come to the Games together, so it's really nice to share these Games with everyone."

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