Sean McCann, the younger brother of Madeleine McCann, competed in the 800-meter men's freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and twin sister Amelie were present to watch him compete. McCann, who had previously secured a surprise place in the 400m freestyle final, finished ninth out of 14 athletes in the 800m event with a time of 8:11.34.
McCann was seeded in the fastest heat alongside competitors Sam Short and Daniel Wiffen. Australian swimmer Sam Short won the gold medal, finishing nearly 32 seconds ahead of McCann. Gerry McCann was seen wearing an Everton Football Club shirt, while Kate McCann wore a swimming t-shirt during the event.
Sean McCann is eligible to represent Scotland through his father, who was born in Glasgow. He has been training rigorously, attending up to nine two-hour swimming sessions and multiple gym workouts weekly, often starting with 4 a.m. sessions. His dedication has led him to compete in his first major international meet.
Mccann's parents have spoken about trying to provide a normal childhood for Sean and Amelie, despite the ongoing international attention surrounding Madeleine's disappearance in 2007. Kate McCann has previously described Sean's initial aversion to water, contrasting with his current dedication. Sean himself expressed excitement about representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, calling it a "full circle moment" as he had watched the games in Glasgow as a child in 2014.
He is studying chemical engineering at Loughborough University and has a history of steady progression in distance swimming. In the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, he reached the finals of the 400m and 1,500m freestyle. He has also qualified for the European Open Water Championships representing Great Britain and aims to represent Team GB at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. McCann has stated that he prefers a pacing strategy where he starts slower and builds into the race.