Commonwealth Games Scotland is pleased to announce the addition of Office Assistant, Todd Cooper to their staff. Todd joins on a part-time basis.
Todd joins CGS with a wealth of multi-sport games’ experience following a ten-year international swimming career which saw him compete at two Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, two World University Games as well as Two World Swimming Championship. Todd is a Commonwealth and European Bronze medallist, and currently holds nine Scottish senior records.
In addition to his undergraduate degree in Film and Media Studies, Todd recently completed an MSc. in Media Management. He lives in Stirling, his adopted home town.
With 18 months to go until the next Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in October 2010, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) in conjunction with scottishathletics has announced its qualification standards for nomination for selection.
Jon Doig, Chief Executive Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “With the start of the athletics season fast approaching we are delighted to be able to publish the qualification standards required to be considered for the Scottish Team in Delhi. Whilst specific to athletics, the standards reflect the aim across all sports of athletes finishing in the top eight, based on performances at the last Commonwealth Games.”
Nigel Hetherington, scottishathletics Performance Development Manager said: “With the increasing globalisation of athletics these standards are unquestionably tough in many events. However, they are also realistic and attainable by a healthy number of Scots and broadly represent what it would have taken to achieve a top eight finish in Melbourne 2006. For Scotland to achieve the performance outcomes demanded in Glasgow 2014 and to make a serious impact on Team GB in London 2012, a strong showing is essential in Delhi 2010 to show we are absolutely on track.”
The qualification period opens for the marathon on 25 April 2009, one day prior to the Flora London Marathon, and closes on 30 June 2010. In order to meet the criteria for selection, athletes must achieve a single qualifying standard within that period on a course complying with IAAF standards.
The qualification period for all other events opens on 1 May 2009, closing at midnight on 1 August 2010, and athletes must achieve the qualification standard on a minimum of two occasions in officially sanctioned events during that time, with primary consideration being given to athletes achieving outdoor qualifying performances in 2010.
The maximum number of athletes per event is three. Where more than three athletes attain the qualification standard in an event, then head-to-head results and Championship performances (Scottish National level and above) in 2010 will be considered.
Delhi 2010 will also offer competition opportunities for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD) in the following pre-determined event categories:
Men Shot Put F32/34/52; Men 100m T46; Men 1500m T54;
Women Shot Put F32-34/52/54; Women 100m T37; Women 1500m T54
sportscotland today announced increased investment totaling £125,000 to Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS), the body responsible for the selection and preparation of Scottish teams for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.
The funding announced today will support the core activities of CGS for the next 12 months. CGS is responsible for setting and implementing the sport-specific selection policies in conjunction with the participating sports governing bodies and these will be used to determine which athletes will represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next year. With only 20 months to go until the 2010 Games, thoughts are already turning to who will be on the flight to Delhi and the all-important selection process will start on 1 May 2009.
Announcing the investment Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “I am delighted to announce this investment in CGS, one of our key partners in delivering high performance sport in Scotland.
“We are just over two months out from the start of the selection period for the next Commonwealth Games in India, so this is a very exciting time for athletes with aspirations of representing Scotland in Delhi.
“We have seen some fantastic performances from young Scottish athletes at the Commonwealth Youth Games and the Australian Youth Olympics which not only fills me with optimism for what lies ahead, but also provides inspiration and motivation for young people across the country to become involved in sport.”
The first phase of the strategic planning work for 2010 has already been implemented with a number of key appointments for the Scottish Team staff having been made and a fact finding mission to Delhi scheduled for April this year.
Welcoming the investment, Michael Cavanagh, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “We have a strong working partnership with sportscotland. Their support for CGS, member sports and athletes, both directly and through the Institute network is critical to ensuring we are successful in Delhi and beyond.”
A NEW fund was launched today to ensure Scotland gets a lasting legacy from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Big Lottery has set up 2014 Communities which will give grants of between £300 and £1000 to grass roots sporting groups.
Cash will be made available not only to increase the number of people taking part in sport but also to boost the number who volunteer.
The fund will also support projects which use sport as a way to bring together people from different communities and age groups.
Alison Magee, chairwoman of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, said: “2014 Communities will use Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games as a catalyst to bring about greater well-being across Scotland by offering access to legacy funding over the next six years.”
For more information
Scotland’s elite athletes will receive 7.5 million pounds to improve medal hopes at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell confirmed today.
Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said the funding would help “mine a rich vein of athletic talent in Scotland.”
The Scottish Government will inject an additional 3.75 million pounds over the next three years – through the national sports agency sportscotland – to help our top sporting stars deliver success.
Sportscotland will also reprioritise its budget to invest an additional 3.75 million pounds over the same three year period, in support of elite athlete performance.
The extra resources will strengthen the governing bodies in all 17 Commonwealth Games sports – with a particular focus on coaching – to deliver medal success in Delhi, London and most importantly, Glasgow.
Sportscotland already invests around 8 million pounds each year to encourage sporting success by our athletes across the 17 sports.
Mr Maxwell said:
“It is essential Scotland’s elite athletes are as ready as they can be for Glasgow 2014, and of course, the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the 2012 London Olympics.
“Sportscotland presented a compelling case for more funding outlining bold, imaginative plans to mine the rich vein of athletic talent in Scotland.
“This Government listened and put its money where its mouth is, supporting sportscotland’s ambition with an additional investment of 3.75 million pounds.
“These additional resources will, I hope, act as a springboard to success for our sporting stars, propelling them to medal winning glory.”
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Welcoming the announcement Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said:
“We are absolutely delighted that the Scottish Government has made these additional funds available.
“Exactly a year ago we were celebrating winning the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
“There is no doubt that Glasgow will deliver a great Games, but it is vital that as the home team, Scotland competes with distinction across all sports and wins more medals than ever before, which is no mean feat.
“This funding will ensure that the 17 sports participating in the Games will have the structure, people and programmes in place to deliver in 2014 and beyond.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland welcomed the additional support saying: “This is great news for the 17 sports participating in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“Confirmation of additional funding at this early stage will now enable Scotland to plan for success in Delhi and hopefully use this as the springboard for Glasgow in much same way as success in Beijing for Team GB will assist preparations for London.”
Sports Minister Stwart Maxwell hosted a reception at Edinburgh Castle on Friday night (7 November) to pay tribute to the Scottish Commonwealth Youth Games team that competed in Pune, India last month.
44 athletes flew the flag for Scotland in India where, for the first time, all 71 Commonwealth countries participated in the Youth Games.
Mr Maxwell said:
“These young athletes performed very well, not only winning 18 medals but improving on personal best performances.They demonstrated outstanding effort and dedication in pursuit of personal excellence.
“The Commonwealth Youth Games is an excellent experience for any young athlete. It allows them to participate in a major multi-sport event, which is invaluable when attempting to qualify for future Commonwealth Games.
“These young athletes were a credit to themselves, their families and were tremendous ambassadors for their sport and the young people of Scotland.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “I am very proud of all our athletes who performed extremely well in some difficult conditions.
“I am sure they will have learnt a great deal from the experience, competing internationally against their peers for the first time and I am sure many of them will be inspired and go on to represent Scotland in Delhi in 2010.”
Scotland’s greatest ever Olympian, cyclist Chris Hoy, was named Scottish Sportsperson of the Year and was awarded the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy for the fifth time in six years at the Commonwealth Games Scotland’s Awards Dinner in Glasgow tonight (25 October 2008) in association with Clydesdale Bank.
The award is for performances between 1 July 2007 and 17 September 2008. With his three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, Chris became the first Britain to win three gold medals at a single Games since 1908 and the most successful track cyclist of all time. Two of these three medals were won in the Keirin and Sprint, events which were only taken up after the 1 kilometre time trial, in which Chris won Olympic gold in 2004, was removed from the programme. His gold in the Keirin, ahead of follow Scot Ross Edgar, gave Scotland an unprecedented 1-2 in this event. His other gold was won in the Team Sprint with teammates Jamie Staff and Jason Kenney.
Earlier in 2008 he won World Championships gold in the Sprint, gold in the Keirin, silver in the Team Sprint. He is World record holder at 500m, has 26 World Cup gold medals and has lost only once in international Keirin races. Chris is also a patron of the Braveheart Trust to develop young Scottish cyclists.
In runner-up spot was Paralympic cyclist Aileen McGlynn who describes her greatest inspiration as coming from watching and training with Chris Hoy.
With her pilot Ellen Hunter, Aileen shaved 700ths of a second off the previous world record time, clocking 3:36.752, to lift the gold medal for the 3km Pursuit at the VISA Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May. She also scooped gold in Manchester in the 1km Tandem in a time of 1:09.562.
This success was eclipsed at the Beijing Paralympic Games with the pair winning gold in the 1km Tandem, beating their own world record with a time of 1:09.066 in the process. Aileen then completed a remarkable 12 months by winning her second gold medal of the Games in the Women’s Individual Pursuit, beating an experienced Australian pairing in a time of 3:39.809.
Completing an impressive short list was rower Katherine Grainger who won her third successive Olympic silver medal in rowing, slalom canoeist David Florence, who also took silver in Beijing and British number one and World number four tennis player Andy Murray.
Announcing the award Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “This has been a fantastic year for Scottish sport and many congratulations to all our nominees. However, Chris Hoy’s three gold medals takes him to a totally new level. He gave so many people so much pleasure and pride in what he achieved for himself, his country and his sport. He is a great ambassador and a truly worthy winner of the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy for a record fifth time.
”I would also like to thank Clydesdale Bank for supporting tonight’s dinner and the Commonwealth Youth Games Athlete of the Month awards which have been running over the summer months and which culminate tonight when we announce the Athlete of the Games.”
Congratulating the winners, Vic Sheppard, Emirates’ Vice-President, UK & Ireland, said: “Emirates is very pleased to continue its support of The Lonsdale Trophy, and we would like to offer our warmest congratulations to Chris Hoy on being awarded ‘Scottish Sportsperson of the Year’ for an impressive fifth time. As an official partner of the Scottish Commonwealth Games Team, we are honoured to be associated with an event that recognises the achievements of elite Scottish athletes on the global stage.”
Steve Reid, Retail Director Clydesdale Bank presented the Clydesdale Bank Athlete of the Games awards along with Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell.
Swimmer Douglas Scott from Strathaven was named Athlete of the Games for winning two gold medals in the 50m and 100m Breaststroke and a bronze in the 4x100m Medley Relay. He received a cheque for £500 for his training fund and his club, East Kilbride also received £500. Shooter, Kay Copeland from Banff was named runner-up for winning Scotland’s first gold medal of the Games in the 50m rifle prone event. She received a cheque for £300 as did her club Banff McDuff Rifle Club.
Also awarded tonight were five winners of Scottish Sports Aid Merit Awards, for athletes 18 years of age and under. These were made to: table tennis player Craig Howieson from Edinburgh; gymnast Cara Jamieson from East Kilbride; Triathlete, Kirsty McWilliams from Milton of Campsie; Fencer, Calum O’Donnell from Dunfermline; and wrestler Calum Steel from Cumbernauld.
Bob Heaney, Chair of the Scottish Sports Aid Foundation went on to present the Scottish Sports Aid Foundation Junior Sportsperson of the Year to Kirsty McWilliams. Kirsty has had an outstanding year, becoming the World Junior Triathlon Champion 2008, the European Junior Triathlon silver medallist 2007/2008 and Scottish Schools cross country champion 2008.
Edinburgh’s Martin Campbell started the day by defeating his long term friend and training partner, Paul Van Rietvelde from Longniddry, 21-12 21-17 in the play off for the bronze medal.
“For the last two years I’ve been working towards qualifying for this tournament so that I could compete and be able to get a medal,” said Campbell. “So to actually come here to India, play in these sort of conditions and get a medal is unbelievable.
“Paul and I are together for around 12 hours a day because we drive through to Glasgow and back for training every day so we have been very good friends for a long time.
“We don’t play as much as you would think apart from in training but I know his strengths are attack and he has a fast game. So I tried to keep attacking and control the net.”
Shooting produced its fourth medal of the Games with Islay’s Ben Wilson keeping his nerve and staying consistent in a tight Skeet final.
“I came here to win a medal so I’m glad,” said Wilson. “I kind of believed I could do it when I came here but doing it is hard, so this will give me a lot of confidence.”
The Scottish team’s Shooting Manager was delighted with his five strong team for winning four medals. “I was confident of two, hoping for three so to get four is just brilliant,” he said. “The Skeet final was always going to be anyone’s game with only three targets separating six shooters but Ben shot consistently well all day which is what kept him about the zone for medals.”
At just 14 and the youngest athlete in the Scottish team, Stonehaven’s Sara Hamilton produced an excellent performance to finish fourth in Thursday’s 100m Freestyle final. Yesterday she excelled and won the bronze medal in the 50m Freestyle, with a new personal best of 26.35 seconds.
“I was hoping to come here and do well and I was quite surprised to win a medal,” she said. “I’ve just got better throughout the three days and I maybe felt more up for the race today. It’s been a good experience and if I hopefully get to Delhi in two years time it will give me a heads up of what to expect.”
The boys 4 x 100m Medley Relay team of Andrew Haslett (Edinburgh), Ewan Johnston (Edinburgh), Daniel Scott (Glenrothes) and Douglas Scott (Strathaven) wrapped up the day and the third Youth Games with the fourth bronze medal of the day.
In the first Commonwealth Youth Games to include teams from all 71 Commonwealth countries Scotland look likely to finish in seventh place on the final medal table after winning three golds, three silvers and 12 bronzes.
“I’m absolutely delighted with our athletes’ performances, not just from those that won medals and achieved PBs but with the whole team for the way they bonded together and supported each other this week,” said Team Manager, Lisa Allan. “What these athletes have learned here will stand them in good stead for when they’re seniors competing in future Commonwealth Games.”
On the penultimate day of the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, the Scottish team produced ten medals.
Strathaven’s Douglas Scott won his second consecutive gold medal of the event in the 100 metres breaststroke.
“Its brilliant to win two golds in two days,” said the shaven-headed East Kilbride ASC 16 year old who beat Australians Kenneth To and Liam Kennedy into second and third place with a time of 1:04.59.
“I felt my stroke was good and I felt fresh. I went out in the time that I normally go out in and I came back a little bit slower but that’s probably due to the heat and the excitement of the competition.
“But I’m really happy especially in the circumstances. It’s really hot here and I was a bit under the weather yesterday.”
Following Scott onto the podium were fellow swim team members Robyn Matthews from Edinburgh, who produced a personal best of 1:12.26, claiming silver in the 100 metres breaststroke.
“I kept my nerves at bay and went for it today,” said Robyn who turns 17 today. “It’s still the beginning of the season so my plan was to give my all every race and see what I did so I’m really pleased to get a PB and a medal.
“I’m really happy and excited and this is a big thing for me getting a medal in an event like this. I’m really proud and pleased.
“Now that I’ve been here and experienced this it’s inspired me and gives me confidence for 2010. That’s my next goal.”
Glenrothes’ Daniel Scott doubled his Games medal tally with bronze in the 100 metres butterfly and Edinburgh’s Ewan Johnston won the 200 metres Individual Medley bronze.
Away from the pool it was the turn of two athletes with Commonwealth Games medal winning parents to steal some of the limelight.
Falkirk shooter, Jennifer McIntosh, daughter of Games medallist Shirley McIntosh, won the silver medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Position, supposedly the weaker event of the two she had been competing in this week. Jennifer is strong in the prone and standing sections of the event but is new at and has yet to master the kneeling aspect. Yet she still produced a good score of 648.4, just 5.4 points adrift of the winner, England’s Sheree Cox.
“I’ve been shooting from a kneeling position for less than a year so the fact that I got a silver medal is pretty impressive and I’m really pleased with myself,” said Jennifer.
“I’m shocked beyond belief that I got a medal in this one rather than the 50m Rifle Prone. I think I probably wasn’t reacting well to nerves earlier in the week but that happens.”
On the running track Lynsey Sharp, daughter of former Games medallist Cameron, won the 800 metres bronze medal, finishing behind South African Caster Mokgadi Semenga and Rachel Stringer from England in a time of 2:06.77 minutes.
“If someone had said last year you’ll be third here I’d have been so happy,” said Lynsey. “The English girl has never beaten me before but I’ve had such a long season with two peaks, the trials for Worlds, the Worlds and this.
“I wanted a medal when I came here and Liz (McColgan), my coach, said I could win it. But I never really believed her until yesterday.
“Having won a medal here I feel far more confident about getting to the Commonwealth Games, maybe in Delhi 2010 and then in 2014 in Glasgow.
“The Commonwealth Games feels so much more special that the stuff we do for GB we’re competing for Scotland and it’s far more of a team thing. Because of the history with my Dad competing in the Commonwealths it feels it feels so special.”
Scotland’s medal tally now stands at 14. Yesterday’s other bronze medal winners were boxers Sean Finney (Kirkcaldy), Robert McKee (Fauldhouse), Jonathan Slowey (Glasgow) and Josh Taylor (Prestonpans), whose fight was stopped in the second because of a nose bleed when he was leading 7-2.
In the final day of competition today Scotland is guaranteed at least one more medal after badminton players Paul Van Rietvelde (Longniddry) and Martin Campbell (Edinburgh) fight out the bronze medal play off.
The Scottish team more than doubled its medal count on day three of the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India yesterday.
Strathaven’s Douglas Scott won the 50 metres breaststroke final in a time of 29.54 seconds, equalling his personal best and Scottish junior record whilst setting a new Commonwealth Youth Games record.
“I was quite pleased with it but I thought I would have swum a bit better and gone a little bit faster,” said the 18 year old after beating competitors from South African and Singapore into second and third place.
“But it’s great to win gold, especially in these outdoor conditions where it’s really hot and the 50 metres is one of my weaker events. The 100 and 200 events are stronger so this will hopefully set me up well for the 100 metres breaststroke tomorrow.”
The team’s swimming coach, Ian Wright, said afterwards the gold medal was a ‘great boost to his team’ but he didn’t expect it to have immediate effect. Minutes later Daniel Scott (pictured below) from Glenrothes won the silver medal in the 50 metres butterfly. In his heats and final he has set his own PBs of 24.69 and 24.38 seconds respectively.
The third Scottish medal of the day came in the wrestling care of Clydebank 17 year old, Craig McKenna, who had made it through the first two rounds of the 50kg event on byes.
“In my first match today I got beaten by an Indian but in my bronze medal match I beat an Australian 3-1 in the first round and 2-1 in the second,” he said.
“I got a lucky draw at the start of the weigh in, with byes in the first two rounds which definitely helped me get a bronze medal today. Before I came I was hoping to wrestle well and maybe sneak a medal so to get the bronze is absolutely brilliant. I’m relieved, excited, and speechless.
“I’m going to back to Scotland and work my training and fight towards Delhi, and I’ll definitely be fighting towards Glasgow. They’re the two biggest steps for me right now.”
Sports Minister, Stewart Maxwell, who is attending the Youth Games to support Scotland’s young athletes, said:
“Well done to Craig, Daniel and Douglas for adding to Scotland’s medal haul in Pune. This is great news for our young athletes who have worked so hard to be able to fly the flag for their country. I am sure it will be the start of many years of success for our sporting stars of the future.”
Scotland will be guaranteed a further three medals in the boxing event after flyweight Josh Taylor from Prestonpans, Jonathan Slowey, a featherweight from Glasgow and Fauldhouse Light Welterweight, Robert McKee, reached today’s semi finals (bronzes are available to both semi final losers).
“It’s been a great experience so far and it will be good to get a medal,” said Taylor. “I’m guaranteed a bronze, but I’m not looking for the bronze, I’m looking for the gold.”
In the badminton event Edinburgh’s Martin Campbell and Paul Van Rietvelde from Longniddry have both reached the semi finals in the singles where they each face Indians, and a partisan home crowd.
“It’s a massive thing for us both to get this far and it will be a massive thing to win a medal as well,” said Campbell who would be more than delighted to meet his friend Van Rietvelde in the final.
No medals have been won yet in track and field by Scots although the team produced some good performances.
In the 1500 metre final Bearsden 16 year old Beth Potter finished fifth and Carnoustie’s Eilish McColgan came eighth whilst Livingston’s Chris O’Hare finished eighth in the boys’ event.
Callum Sharp from Bishopbriggs finished fifth in pole vault, in the process setting a new personal best of 4:60 metres. Calum Innes (Bearsden) produced two new personal bests in 110m hurdles – 14.45 seconds in the heats and 14.48 in the final to finish seventh.
It was not the best of days for Falkirk’s hammer thrower Myra Perkins who produced five no throws in her final to finish fourth, although the throw that was allowed was just 12 cm off the silver medalists. One of her disallowed throws would have been a PB but she came out of the throwing circle
“I’m so disappointed,” she said afterwards. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a competition where I’ve only got on throw in and I wish I knew why it happened I was looking forward to the competition, wasn’t nervous or over awed.
“I apologised to Hugh (her coach) but I said I want to be in Glasgow in 2014 because I want all the people there supporting me like they do here in India. There was an Indian guy fighting in the boxing today and noise was amazing. I want to go to the Worlds next year and prove I can actually throw.”
In the last 16 of the table tennis singles draw Edinburgh’s Craig Howieson missed a match point at 3-3 before losing 4-3 to Australian David Powell.
“I felt I was the better player, I was more aggressive, I outplayed him on the table and if it wasn’t for a few lucky nicks and errors I would have won that match,” said Craig. “I knew he was tough because I played him before and any matches once you get in the knock out rounds are tough here, but it’s difficult to comprehend I’m out and I can’t get a medal here.”