Posted: 12th June 2014
Commonwealth Games Scotland today confirmed its final team line-up for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, announcing a record 310 athletes who have met the selection standards to represent the nation at this summer’s home Games. The squad includes the addition of four more cyclists, adding to the largest ever cycling squad for the Commonwealth Games.
The announcement includes the latest 102 athletes selected this week from eight sports. Sports newly announced today include Netball (12), Hockey (32) and Table Tennis (7), whilst additional athletes have been selected in Swimming (4), Athletics (31), Cycling (4), Shooting (8) and Triathlon (4). Athletics also name a replacement in the Marathon for the injured Freya Ross who withdrew earlier this week.
Nearly a third of the team (94) were involved in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with 15 winning medals for Team Scotland in six sports: Eilidh Child, Steph Twell, Robbie Renwick, Hannah Miley, Josh Taylor, David Millar, Jenny Davis, Charlene Joiner, Jonathon Hammond, Jen McIntosh, Neil Stirton, Angus Macleod, Ian Shaw, Shona Marshall, Peter Kirkbride. The strength in depth of the team is further underlined with the inclusion of eight more medallists from previous Commonwealth Games as far back as 1990: Donna Robertson, Sarah Clark, Fiona Robertson, Caitlin McClatchey, Adam Cox, Margaret Letham, Alex Marshall and Paul Foster.
21 athletes have an Olympic pedigree with 19 of them competing in London in 2012, with three Olympic medallists amongst them in Craig MacLean (2000), Emily McGuire (2012) and Daniel Purvis (2012). Craig MacLean uniquely also holds a Paralympic Gold medal from London 2012 as a Cycling pilot, whilst Neil Fachie and Aileen McGlynn from Cycling, Libby Clegg and guide Mikail Huggins from Athletics are also Paralympic multi-medallists.
The longest serving team members are from Lawn Bowls, with Alex Marshall and Margaret Letham both embarking on their fifth Games, holding three Gold medals between them. Margaret from Bothwell, at 58 years old is also the oldest member of the team. Taking the spot for the youngest team member of all time is 13 year old Erraid Davies, a Para-Sport Swimmer from Shetland. She will be a year younger than diver Grace Reid, who was 14 years and 5 months when she competed in Delhi in 2010.
The team of 310 is split 168 men and 142 women, which is encouraging news in terms of the gender balance, with the percentage of women increasing from 43% in 2010 to nearly 46% this year. In Athletics, and Weightlifting more women have been selected than their male counterparts. A total of 204 athletes will be making their Games debut.
Also showing their valuable contribution to the development of athletes in the Glasgow 2014 team are the Commonwealth Youth Games and the Achieve 2014 programme which ran in Delhi. 35 selected athletes have competed in the Youth Games over recent years, whilst 10 athletes, three coaches and six support staff from the Achieve programme have made the step up to Team Scotland this year. We are delighted that these opportunities will continue, with the next Youth Games in Samoa in 2015 and the next iteration of the Achieve programme being run in Glasgow thanks to the support of Games and Team Scotland sponsor, Search Consultancy. In addition, 10 former athletes are now members of staff and will have invaluable experience to share with the current crop of athletes.
The team of twelve netball players announced today will make Team Scotland’s first ever appearance in the Netball competition at a Commonwealth Games. Currently placed 12th in the World, Scottish netball has seen a huge rise in its ranking improving from 16th back in 2011. With confidence high following qualification for the 2015 World Cup ten days ago, Lesley MacDonald’s side are aiming for a top eight finish in Glasgow.
In Hockey, Scotland will be looking to use home support at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre at Glasgow Green, to build on their previous Games outings and be competitive against some of the top hockey nations in the world. The men’s side, captained by GB player Chris Grassick, will be looking to improve on Scotland’s 9th place finish in Delhi, after credible showings recently against England, Argentina and Belgium at the Men’s 4 Nations in Glasgow and a series win over Wales. The women’s team, led by the experienced Linda Clement is preparing for some tough opposition in Australia, England, Malaysia and local rivals Wales and are aiming to better their 2010 7th spot.
Triathlon was introduced to the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and following an absence at the Delhi 2010 Games, returns with both individual and relay events held at the scenic setting of Strathclyde Country Park. The Individual Triathlons on Thursday 24 July are the first medal events of the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland have called-up World Junior medallists Marc Austin and Grant Sheldon for the men’s competition, to complement the experienced David McNamee selected last October. Then on Saturday 26 July, making its Commonwealth debut is the Mixed Team Triathlon Relay, a fast-paced tag-team event will see two of the men joined by three-time Scottish Sprint Triathlon Champion Natalie Milne and 2012 British Triathlon Super Series Champion, Seonaid Thompson for the 250m swim, 6.6km cycle and 1.6km run.
A team of seven players (four men and three women) have been selected to represent Team Scotland at Table Tennis, a relative newcomer to the Games. It was introduced in Manchester 2002 and has been in the Games ever since. Strong results at the 2013 Commonwealth Championships secured team places for both men and women and demonstrated that they can raise their game when it counts.
With a final push by athletes to achieve selection standards over recent weeks, Athletics, Swimming and Cycling have all increased their already largest teams to date, whilst Shooting doubled the number selected last October. Athletics becomes the biggest single sport with 58 athletes now on their way to Hampden Park.
CYCLING (4)
Jack Pullar Road Race
Lucy Coldwell Time Trial
Kerry MacPhee Mountain Bike XC
Gemma Neill Road Race
