The Gangurrus women have stormed to the gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, capping off a dominant undefeated campaign. Amy Atwell was a part of that victorious squad and said the opportunity to represent Australia in Glasgow was incredible.
"Representing Australia in any format or discipline is always a huge honour," Atwell said.
"It's why we all play and any chance you get to represent your country is always amazing"
The Gangurrus opened their tournament against Kenya and barely put a foot wrong, cruising to a commanding 21-5 victory. Emma Clarke made an immediate impact, scoring nine points and collecting five defensive rebounds in an impressive opening performance.
The Gangurrus continued their dominance on day one with victories over Jamaica (21-13) and Fiji (21-3). Atwell starred against Jamaica with eight points and four rebounds, while Clarke produced another outstanding display in the win over Fiji, scoring 10 points in just three minutes of court time.
Following a rest day, Australia returned to complete its pool-stage campaign and secure top spot, earning automatic qualification to the semi-finals. The Gangurrus comfortably defeated the Cayman Islands 21-3, with Laura McSpadden contributing seven points and six rebounds. They then faced fellow medal contender Uganda in their toughest pool match, but a convincing 21-9 victory sealed an unbeaten run through the group stage and confirmed their place in the semi-finals.
Australia’s title challenge faced a setback ahead of the finals when Emma Clarke suffered a knee injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. With no substitute available, the Gangurrus were forced to play the final day without a substitute.
Atwell believes playing without Clarke was a challenge, but one the girls were up for.
"I think having to finish the tournament with 3 girls made it all that much more special as well," Atwell said.
"To get the result like that is definitely a career highlight."
The semi-final brought a rematch against Jamaica, but Australia again proved too strong. Amy Atwell led the way with 13 points as the Gangurrus controlled the contest from the outset, securing a 21-8 victory to book their place in the gold medal match.
Awaiting them in the final was Uganda, but the Gangurrus saved one of their best performances for last. Marena Whittle delivered a match-winning display, finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Australia to a 10-point victory. The win completed an undefeated tournament and secured the gold medal, continuing Australia’s remarkable success in basketball at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Atwell's most treasured memories from Glasgow were celebrating with both Gangurrus and Wombats alike, with all teams bringing home medals for Australia.
"We celebrated pretty well that night as you would expect, but we were able to celebrate with all four 3x3 teams," Atwell recalled.
"Being there with everyone’s families together was really special because we all came away with a medal."
