Twice Paralympics silver medallist and three times World Champion, Libby Clegg is aiming to produce a medal winning performance at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. And to help her, she is urging Scotland to support her and the team.

The 23 year old visually impaired T12 100m and 200m sprinter knows what it’s like to win medals at the highest level. Last summer at the London 2012 Paralympic Games she won the T12 100m adding to her silver at the same distance in Beijing four years previously.

Having experienced the electrifying support from a packed stadium in London she knows firsthand how a home crowd lifts an athlete.

“In London it made a massive difference having your friends and family watching and competing in front of a home crowd”, said Clegg.

“And, with the Games being in Glasgow, a lot more of my family and friends will be able to come and support.”

“Having the crowd behind you gives the stadium an incredible atmosphere and when everyone is in the spirit of things it really encourages athletes to perform to their best abilities.”

Born in Stockport and brought up in the Scottish Borders, Clegg attended the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh and runs for Edinburgh Athletics Club. If she qualifies for Team Scotland, competing in Glasgow this will be her first time in a Scottish vest and she aims to win gold.

Whilst the selection period for athletes aiming to make Team Scotland opened in April, Libby’s major event of the year and an opportunity to reach the selection criteria for the Glasgow Games will be the World Championships in Lyon, France starting this weekend.

“I’ve competed for Great Britain but I don’t have a Scotland vest yet so it would be a great honour to compete in Glasgow in front of a home crowd and pull off a good result”, she said.

“The Worlds is one of my qualification events and a good opportunity for me to put down some good times and hopefully get selected for Team Scotland.”

Clegg has a further message to the Scottish public, particularly those people that are not normally involved in sport.

“Just being part of the crowd at such a big event like the Commonwealth Games will be an experience you will remember forever”, she said.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to see what else is out there and hopefully for Scotland to show what great performances we can offer. So I say get behind the team, come along and support us.”

You can follow Libby on Twitter @LibbyClegg

Photo Credit: Alistair Devine