Commonwealth Games 2026 LIVE: More gymnastics gold for Australia as McDonald lands emotional win
Australian gymnast Kate McDonald won gold in the women's uneven bars at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, overcoming past failures and performance anxiety. McDonald credited her success to increased experience and professional sports psychology support.
Why it matters
The story illustrates the psychological challenges faced by elite athletes and the importance of mental health support in high-pressure competitive sports.
Pinned post from 3.39am Go to latest This Australian gymnast is past her ‘use-by date’, but she still won gold By Kate McDonald has worked hard to keep the voices in her head “nice and low”. They tell her things like “don’t be poo, don’t fall, be perfect”.
Those voices are sure to be a lot quieter now, after McDonald won gold in the women’s uneven bars to become Commonwealth champion, four years after she “bombed” out of the final in Birmingham – a final she was expected to win.
Kate McDonald waves the Australian flag proudly. Getty Images “I’ve done a lot of routines where I’ve bombed in finals, and I’ve learnt a lot from them,” McDonald said.
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