The Wombat men defended their gold medal from the 2022 Birmingham Games, recovering from an opening loss to finish the tournament with five straight wins.
Gold medallist Eithen Leard says the Commonwealth Games experience is one to remember.
"It was some long travel, 38 hours, but it was great to get all four of us together," Leard explained.
"It was an awesome experience and something I don't take lightly representing Australia."
The Wombats began their campaign against England in a tight contest, falling by just three points. Luke Pople, the only member of the victorious 2022 team, led the way with four points and four rebounds, giving the side and Leard confidence they could bounce back.
"Two of us hadn't played 3x3 basketball, so it was a bit rocky to begin with," Leard said.
"That game against England was a bit of a bump in the road and an eye-opener. But we knew we were a very good side."
The Wombats proved just that, securing a place in the play-ins with dominant wins over Kenya and Canada by 16 and eight points respectively. Thomas Klein was a major offensive threat against Kenya with eight points, while Tom O’Neill-Thorne helped seal progression with 10 points and five rebounds against Canada.
Wales proved no match for the Wombats in the play-in game, with Leard stepping up for eight points and four rebounds as Australia cruised to a 21–6 win and booked a semi-final spot.
The final day presented the challenge of two games in one day, beginning with a semi-final against hosts Scotland. This was exactly what the Wombats were specialised for, as Leard revealed their motto coming into the tournament.
"All gas was our quote from the tournament," Leard said.
"Even from when we arrived at the Commonwealth Games it was all go."
With a place in the gold-medal match on the line, O’Neill-Thorne delivered a dominant performance, finishing with eight points and seven rebounds to send the Wombats through to a rematch with England.
This time, the Wombats turned the tables. Leard scored 10 points, while O’Neill-Thorne pulled down nine rebounds to help Australia claim a 19–13 victory and return to the top step of the podium. It marked an incredible achievement as Australian basketball continued to dominate at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Leard believes the gold medal came down to hard work and belief within the team.
"Every kid wants to win a gold medal for their country, and I got to do that with three great blokes," Leard said.
"Having my family in the crowd and seeing them proud as punch after the final, I wouldn't change a thing."
There isn't much time to celebrate however, with the Australian Rollers getting prepared for the 2026 IWBF World Championships in September, which Leard will be a part of.
"We've got the World Cup coming up, and three of us are on that squad so there hasn't been much celebrating," Leard said.
"All 12 of the guys that have been selected are all focused on that, and we know what separates wheelchair basketball in Australia is how much we love spending time with each other and growing as a group."
