With just a month to go to departure for Bahamas 2017, athletes and staff gathered in Stirling for their pre-Games Team Camp and a chance to get to know each other ahead of their journey to the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games.

Information on what they can expect there, along with team building exercises and the all-important collection of their Team Scotland kit, was all on the agenda for the 41-strong team. The action packed day also saw the special announcement of the team’s flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony.

Commonwealth Games Scotland Chairman, Paul Bush OBE announced that 17 year old boxer, Lewis Johnstone from Airdrie had been chosen saying: “To be named as flagbearer for Team Scotland at the Youth Games is a huge honour and Lewis’s selection is a direct reflection of his performances over the last few years. Not only is Lewis a promising athlete in his own right, but his attitude and commitment to fellow team members makes him an excellent role model.

Lewis, who will be the first boxer to carry the flag for Team Scotland at a Commonwealth Youth Games, is a multiple Scottish and British age-group champion and has an impressive record of international success. He represented Scotland at the 2015 World Junior Championships and is a double European Junior Championship bronze medallist, reaching the podium in both 2015 and 2016. He performed brilliantly in his international debut at Youth level with a bronze medal at the 2017 Pavlyukov Multi-Nation Tournament in Russia, commonly dubbed the ‘Youth World Cup’.

Lewis also works in his local council gym helping people train from young to old. He has been a team captain on a few occasions as he is a good motivator and team player demonstrating his friendliness and approachability.

Lewis was voted as flagbearer by his Scotland team-mates, after a shortlist of three was selected prior to the Team Camp. Fellow shortlisted nominees, Stephen Dent, Cycling (Fort William) and Erin Wallace, Athletics (Glasgow), will walk immediately behind Lewis into the Opening Ceremony, followed by the rest of the team.

A delighted Lewis Johnstone said: “I am absolutely delighted to be named the flag bearer for Team Scotland 2017, this is definitely the proudest moment of my sporting career and it is showing that my hard work and training is clearly paying off. I am really looking forward to the Games and cannot wait to carry the flag out at the Opening Ceremony on behalf of the whole team. It will be great to see my family at the Opening Ceremony and will definitely be a great moment for everyone involved.”

The selection and announcement of the flagbearer is a longstanding tradition, and Lewis Johnstone will follow in the footsteps of Louise Carroll (Hockey), Gemma Nicol (Athletics), Lisa Glover (Athletics), Tom Holligan (Athletics) and Craig McLean (Swimming), who carried the flag at the previous five editions of the Commonwealth Youth Games.